Office Space
by Nightshroud
Summary: Larxene loves her new job. There's just one problem: Axel. And she's stuck with him. AU
1. The Worst Day Ever

**Chapter 1: The Worst Day Ever**

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**Nightshroud:** After my success with I Won't Say I'm in Love, I've decided to do another Larxel fic. This is set in modern times, btw. I hope you enjoy!

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Larxene slammed the door of her apartment.

"The NERVE of some people!" she shouted. Marluxia, her friend that shared her apartment with her, looked up from his magazine.

"First day at work, and something bad already happened?" he asked. She threw her jacket on the sofa and flopped down.

"You can say that again. I was so happy getting that job, and of course I end up getting into a fight some jerk on my floor. And as soon as we stop arguing, Mr. Xemnas, the president of the company, shows me my office, which I have to share with him! Of all people I have to share an office with Axel!"

"What did he do that made you so mad?" asked Marluxia.

"I don't know. First he made fun of my bangs, calling them antennas. Then he made fun of my clothes, spread rumors that I'm have AIDS, and posted an embarrasing picture of me on the bulletin in the copy room. and...ugh he's just so obnoxious!"

"Hey, I designed those!" said Marluxia, who was trying to become a clothing designer. "And which picture was it? Not the one from the Christmas party?"

"Yes, that one."

"Oh, poor you. Is he cute?"

"Yeah, almost all the women in the office were drooling all over him."

"You hate him, but you don't have any problem saying he's cute?"

"Well, it doesn't excuse the fact that he's an asshole."

"Point taken."

Larxene sighed and rested her head on her hands. "Maybe I shouldn't go to work tomorrow."

"And let him think he's won. Not a chance. You go back there and show him the sadistic witch I know you are."

Larxene glared. "Thanks, Marluxia. That boosted my confidence."

He shrugged and motioned to the kitchen. "I made you dinner."

"Nah, I'm just going to get a shower and go to bed. And start this whole nightmare again."

She trudged up the stairs and took her shower, all the while thinking, "How am I going to make it through this?"

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**Nightshroud:** Short chapter, but I just wanted to give a little intro into why Larxene hates Axel so much in this story. I hope you keep reading. 


	2. I Just Said What?

**Chapter 2: I Just Said What?**

Larxene sighed as walked into her, or should I say _their_, office. She placed her briefcase down as Axel smirked and turned his chair to look at her.

"You look a little flustered. Running late today, Ant?"

She gripped the edge of her desk and tried to stay composed.

"I'm NOT in the mood for you today, Axel, so just take that crap you call a sense of humor and shove it."

"Ooh, touchy. You'd better calm down, we wouldn't want Mr. Xemnas to see you going banshee and get fired your second day."

"That's beginning to sound like a plan," she said icily. Then something flashed into her head. Why let Axel do all the trash talking? She would fight fire with fire. But first, to sit down...

She turned and sat in her chair. Or rather she meant to. Axel had put his foor around the leg of her chair (on wheels) and pulled it out as she went to sit. The next thing she knew she was sitting on the ground.

"If you can't handle sitting in a chair, what makes you think you can handle an executive job?" he asked. She snatched her chair away and turned on her computer.

"Oh I'm sorry, but unlike you I'm not perfect. Well, you and the rest of the world seem to think you're so great. I'm the only one who knows the truth- did you even realise that you have one cream sock on and one white one?"

He looked down at his ankles, bared by his suit pants, and saw the mismatched socks. Darn, she was right.

"Based on how you're dressed, I'd think you got dressed in the dark," he retorted.

"Ooh, very clever, Axel. How long did it take you to think of that one?"

He turned red when Xemnas, their boss, came in.

"We're having a meeting with the head executives of the company. Your attendace is needed."

They nodded and larxene walked over to the door, which Axel held open for her.

"Is he being...nice?"

But as she passed by, he stuck out his foot and tripped her. Screw him.

* * *

Larxene stifled a yawn for the fifth time in twenty minutes. Why was this so _boring_? She hoped that further meetings would be more interesting, or else she would more than gladly quit this job. 

She didn't actually understand why her presence was required at this particular meeting, as it appeared to be a discussion about the company's budget and financial matters (as far as she could tell from the pieces she had actually _bothered _to listen to) and she had absolutely _nothing _to do with that.

Axel actually appeared to be _listening _and he even contributed to the discussion every so often. Whether he was just playing "bend over and tell me where" or whether he was genuinely interested, Larxene didn't know. Or, indeed, care.

She looked at her nails and wished that she'd brought a nail file or some polish. Everyone was paying such little attention to her that she doubted they would notice if she started doing her nails. How much longer could this _possibly _go on? It wasn't like this was even an interesting topic, so surely they would all be released soon.

'Don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep…' She thought to herself, if only to keep her awake. 

"What do you think, Miss Larxene?" a senior member of the board, Luxord, asked. President Xemnas, Vice President Saix, Xigbar, and Xaldin, indeed everyone, turned to look at her. She gulped- what should she say? She hadn't listened to _any _of the conversation.

Someone had once told her that of you didn't hear what someone said, instead of looking stupid by asking them to repeat it, you just smiled, nodded and said "yes."

Axel was looking at her sternly and shaking his head ever so slightly, glaring icy daggers at her, obviously he wanted her to say "no." That only strengthened her faith in the "smile, nod and say 'yes'" piece of advice, so she did just that. Smiled, nodded and said, confidently, "Yes!"

"Then it's settled!" Xemnas said delightedly.

"You and Axel shall attend the Tokyo Business Convention in a month as representatives of the company!" Larxene paled at his words.

"What does that entail?" she asked warily.

"Oh, nothing much. Just a flight to Tokyo and a few days in a hotel together. I hear you two already work in the same office, so that should be fine!" Saix replied.

Larxene resisted the urge to bang her head off the table. That was the last time she ever took advice from _anyone_.

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**Nightshroud:** Haha Larxene just dug her own grave. Can she handle the pressure of the job, and being with Axel? You'll just have to keep reading to find out! 


	3. Positioning Is Everything

**Chapter 3: Positioning Is Everything**

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**Nightshroud**: I'm glad people like the story! And I don't own Buttons by the Pussycat Dolls, by the way.

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"Wow, talk about a brilliant stroke, Ant," said Axel, fuming all the way back to the office. 

"Look, I'm sorry, okay? I just said the first thing that came to mind!"

"Was that 'Say something stupid'?"

"Shut up already! I said I'm sorry, and if you can't accept that fact that I made a mistake, then I might as well quit right now!"

Axel shrugged and went back to his desk.

"If you want to quit, fine. I wanted a cute secretary anyway. I was beginning to think that you'd prove me wrong about this job, but if you're going to quit now then I guess I was right."

_"Is he trying to get me to stay?"_

"I'm not going to quit, and I AM going to prove you wrong. Just wait."

"I look forward to it," he said with a grin.

* * *

"A business trip alone with him? What have you gotten yourself into?" Marluxia asked sympathetically. Larxene shook her head and took a sip of her tea. 

"I don't know. Apparently that advice you gave me didn't help out much."

"I didn't mean for you to use it quite like that."

She folded her arms and gave a defiant look. "Well, I'm going to go. I said I'm not going to cave in, so I'll have to pull through with this."

"And I'll be worrying for you the whole time," he said with a laugh.

"You won't be the only one," she said, laughing as well. She finished her tea and stood up.

"Well, I have to get up early for work. Just say a little prayer for me."

"Will do!"

* * *

Larxene waltzed in to her office, bopping along and singing to the song issuing from her headphones. Her eyes were closed- not a good idea as she was carrying a full-to-the-brim styrofoam cup of scalding-hot coffee. She was so early she obviously thought she was the first one in. Axel coughed to try and catch her attention, but she couldn't hear. 

But, man, that girl could _sing_! He coughed more loudly, but she was still singing and dancing with her eyes closed, oblivious to the man about twenty feet from her. The lyrics were making him slightly uncomfortable now…. Especially now that the video for that particular song was coming to him….what was it again? Buttons...

Axel had officially given up on catching her attention, instead resigned to letting her finish. Surely the song couldn't be much longer? And could she stop asking him to loosen up her buttons!

Axel breathed a sigh of relief as Larxene gave the end of the song everything she had before smiling and opening her eyes, only to blush when she saw him. In fact, it looked as though she might die of embarrassment.

"Please tell me that you haven't been here this whole time," she said, wincing.

"I saw everything. You're quite the singer/dancer, Larxene," he said with a smirk. Larxene glared at him.

"But I wouldn't go around singing songs with lyrics like that quite so loudly. People might think you're…."

"What? Easy? A slut?" Larxene asked in a tone of voice that said she was not pleased. Axel laughed.

"Both! What a good description of you!"

"Why you…."

Axel walked forward to him and craned her neck to look into his eyes. Then she punched him.

"Yes, like that hurt, Larxene," he said with a teasing smile. Larxene narrowed her eyes and tripped him, her leg moving fast and hitting his ankles. He fell to the ground, and, Larxene taking his moment of surprise as her opportunity, sat on him, pinning his shoulders to the ground as best she could with her hands.

"How...did you…"

"Self-defence classes. Men seem to think that small women are easy targets. And I SO hurt you when I punched you," she answered. Axel didn't answer, not wanting to admit she was right, instead staring up at her and wondering just what she was about.

Sometimes she was just a naïve young woman. Sometimes she was violent, as in this case. Sometimes she fascinated him. Sometimes he wanted to get as far away from her as was possible. Sometimes he wanted to know her a little better. But no matter what, she was always, _always _confusing.

"Now you listen to me, you idiotic, chauvinistic pig! I am a decent person who is just trying to do her job! You don't know me, and let me tell you, I am the OPPOSITE of an easy slut!" she ranted, occasionally increasing the pressure on his shoulders to emphasise her point.

Just as Larxene was expressing her views to a Axel who was hovering between amused and slightly frightened, there was a knock on the door and Xemnas entered, emitting a slightly embarrassed cough when he saw the position that his two employees were in.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, but I just came to see how you were doing…. I'll leave now, and let you get back to… Whatever…. It is that you're doing…." He said before turning and walking away, closing the door softly behind him.

Axel burst out laughing, but Larxene rapidly turned red, looking suitably embarrassed and hitting his shoulder lightly, promptly stopping his laughter.

"What?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"It's not funny! He probably thinks we're just goofing around all the time instead of working!"

"Well, perhaps," he said, that mischievous glint in his eye again, "but insert another word in there instead of 'goofing around' and you'll be closer to the truth."

Larxene got up off him, emerald eyes rolling in disgust.

"You know, Axel, you are a real pervert."

Axel got to his feet and smiled as Larxene got straight back to her work, not looking up even once as she started into typing up numerous documents that had landed on her desk earlier.

After working for a few hours, Mr. Xemnas came in to see if their report had been filled out.

"No, sir, I'll have it on your desk first thing tomorrow."

"You'd better. I hope this doesn't have to do with what I saw earlier," he said sternly. Axel snickered, causing Larxene to kick him in the shin.

"No, sir. And I can assure you it won't happen again," she said, glaring at Axel. He gave her a look of fake innocence, which made her clench her teeth and storm over to the elevator.

"What a day..."

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**Nightshroud:** Office humor haha. Hope you enjoyed that chapter. More humor to come. As to the romance, we'll get to that too. :) 


	4. Sweet Seduction

**Chapter 4: Sweet Seduction**

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**Nightshroud**: I'm so glad people are enjoying this! I'll try to update quickly for all of you. :) 

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"So Mr. Xemnas walked in and saw me on top of Axel. And as you can imagine, he totally got the wrong idea." 

"Oh no. You have to admit though, it IS pretty funny."

"Marluxia!" she protested. Then she too burst into laughter. "I guess you're right. Still, now Mr. Xemnas think we're doing IT all day instead of work. That can't be good."

"I'll bet you didn't mind today half as much as you say you did."

"Well, it was a interesting. Ah screw it. I'm gonna eat ice cream and watch TV."

"You'll get fat, ya know," he said. She threw the nearest blunt object at him.

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"All right, I'll see you when you get back from your designing...thing," Larxene said the next morning. 

"Are you really wearing that to work?" asked Marluxia, eyeing her outfit.

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?"

"Well, I kinda wanted you to test one of my latest desgins by wearing it to work."

"Oh no no no. Last time I let you dress me, ten guys asked me out, three guys told me they'd pay me to…" she broke off with a shudder.

"Get some of what Axel gets for free?" he asked with a wink. She blushed.

"That's not even funny," she pouted.

"Come on. We wouldn't want Axel posting any more embarrasing pictures of you at work, would we?"

"Are you blackmailing me?"

"I wouldn't say no," he said. She sighed.

"Marluxia, what is the _name _of the range?" Larxene asked cautiously, determined to get back on subject as she was going to end up late to work if this whole situation wasn't resolved swiftly.

"What, are you hoping I'll say 'innocent'?" Marluxia asked with a roll of his eyes. Larxene put her hands on her hips and gave him the look.

"It's 'sweet seduction'," Marluxia answered with a sigh. Larxene immediately looked even _more _horrified, if that were possible.

"Oh Dear God NO!" she wined.

"Oh yes. Now, let me lead you to your dressing room," Marluxia said with a smile that he probably intended to be innocent, but made him look like someone who liked to kill puppies for fun, as she walked up the stairs. And all Larxene could do was follow him, and hope that 'sweet seduction' was tamer than it sounded.

* * *

Or not... 

"Marluxia, there is no way in HELL," Larxene said as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror that adorned one of the walls of Marluxia's bedroom.

"Oh, yes, there is, Larxene, because I've blackmailed you so well there's no way you can possibly get out of it. Besides you look so cute, and fetch!" Marluxia said.

"I don't want to know what fetch is. Besides, you are such an AWFUL liar. I look the OPPOSITE of cute, because 'cute' means 'innocent'. And I look like a hooker," Larxene said.

"No you don't!" Marluxia insisted, sounding horrified.

"Marluxia, wake up! Look at this skirt- it barely covers my butt! And this blouse is the sluttiest I have ever seen! It's so clingy and low-cut… If I lean over too far then my breasts will fall out! And don't you think the knee-high, high-heeled boots were a little too much?" Larxene asked, her nose screwed up as she twirled to look at her reflection in the mirror.

"I look like… Axel's version of a secretary!" Larxene finally realised and laughed heartily.

"What?" Marluxia asked, looking rather confused.

"When I came to work with Axel, he said he wished he had got a secretary, and knowing him he'd make them wear something like this!" Larxene continued to laugh.

"Well, there you go! You get to fulfill a fantasy for Axel AND do product research for me!" Marluxia exclaimed, totally unable to resist the opportunity to make another reference to Larxene and Axel's make-believe 'affair'.Larxene turned and glared daggers at her friend.

"Marluxia, did I mention lately that I hate you?"�Larxene asked.

"Yes, I knew you'd see it my way in the end!" Marluxia exclaimed. Larxene just looked at her reflection and wondered what on earth she had got herself into.

* * *

Marluxia had told Larxene that all she needed to do was observe people's reactions when they saw her, or, indeed, ask them what they thought if she was feeling particularly adventurous. Larxene, still in her car which was parked outside the building, took a deep, steadying breath. She could do this. She could _so _do this. 

She got out of her car and locked it then walked up to the doors looking a million times more confident than she actually felt. The security guard's eyes widened when she went past and she heard the distinct sound of a mug breaking against a floor. She… couldn't do this.

* * *

She'd only been in work for five minutes and already she was tempted to go home. Male colleagues everywhere had had tendencies to drop things, choke on nothing, and assume that her new look suddenly meant that she was blind, as they openly looked her up and down before choking again. Female colleagues on the most part eyed her with distaste; a lot of them with wrinkled noses, obviously thinking that she were a slut. 

She had only just reached her office but felt like the walk up there had taken an hour and not five minutes. She hated all the attention and felt the most self-conscious she had ever felt.

Gratefully she pushed open the door to her and Axel's office, stumbling in and flopping down at her desk. She was even more relieved to see that Axel hadn't yet made it in, as the last thing she wanted was to have to deal with him right now. She sat and started her computer, immersing herself in yet more typing.

She pressed the button to print but groaned when she realised there was no paper in the feed tray. So she got up and fetched some paper from the huge mound on Axel's desk. She didn't hear the office door open, but she did hear Axel's surprise.

"Larxene, what in hell are you _wearing_?"

"Hello, Axel," Larxene replied, still bent over Axel's desk assembling paper into a pile, not even bothering to look around at him.

"You _really _shouldn't bend over like that, Larxene," Axel said, still in the same spot.

"Why, can you see my panties?" Larxene asked, sounding as if she didn't care less, _still _with her back to him. Axel tried desperately not to think about Larxene's panties.

"No, if you're not too busy being a slut to remember to put them back on."

"Very funny. And if you can't see them, then it's alright," she replied, forgetting her paper as she stood up and turned around, leaning gently against the desk. Axel's green eyes widened and he didn't seem to know where to look. He immediately averted his gaze to stare around the room, his hand on the back of his neck.

"Oh, it's okay to look," Larxene purred seductively as she walked over to stand right in front of him, "I wore it for _you_, after all…"

Axel wished desperately that he could think of something to say that wouldn't make him sound ridiculous.

"You're still not looking…" she whispered, or rather, almost panted, one hand on his chest now, standing on her tiptoes to whisper just below his ear. She took a step backward.

"What, don't you like it?" she pouted and twirled. He did like it. Perhaps a little _too _much. He let himself glance at her, but was immediately ashamed of himself and quickly looked away again before backing up. He realised he was against a wall with no hope of escape. She giggled and pressed herself against him as he flushed superbly.

"I knew you'd like it," she murmured, straining her legs to reach further up to him, "Now tell me, aren't I better than a secretary?"

Their noses were mere centimetres apart and Axel's eyes were crossed as they focused on her face. He looked a combination of horrified, surprised and well… appreciative. Larxene's arms wrapped around his neck and he leaned down to kiss her when…

"I was wondering if-" Saix, vice president, began before stopping dead in the doorway.

"What is going on here? I hope that you are not seducing Axel, Larxene!" Axel and Larxene looked at each other, knowing that this must look bad. Really, really bad. Larxene thought that her simple joke to make a fool out of Axel had gone horribly, disastrously wrong. Larxene's arms unwrapped from her colleague's neck and she held up her hands in a gesture of pleading peace.

"Listen, Mr. Saix, I know this looks bad, but-" Larxene began.

"You're right it looks bad! Give me one reason why I shouldn't fire you two right on the spot!" Saix yelled.

"Listen, just hear me out, okay? The outfit- I was blackmailed into wearing it today. And I wasn't really seducing Axel- I was playing a trick on him! Just to embarrass him, you see…" Larxene said quickly, trying to get her side of the story out before Saix lost his temper. He'd been known to do that.

"You were only messing around with me!" Axel asked, sounding furious.

"Hey, one angry male at a time, please! Besides, of course I was only messing with you! Like you would ever stand a chance!" Larxene joked.

"Mr. Saix, you're not going to fire the owner of those legs, are you? And that cleavage… Okay, Larxene, you _really _have to change your clothes!" Axel had, in the beginning of his statement, been desperately trying to convince Saix not to fire them, but it sort of turned into him just being perverted about Larxene. Sounding exasperated, he turned deliberately away from Larxene, as if just looking at her turned him into a major pervert. Which it did, really.

"So you two… Don't like each other?" Saix asked, looking so enlightened it was as if he had discovered the meaning of life.

"No!" the two said together, looking disgusted.

"And you're not having an affair?" Saix questioned further.

"Believe me when I say I'd rather vomit!" Larxene chirped cheerfully. Axel scowled at her.

"I'm not deaf, you know," he said. Larxene chose to ignore him.

"Right! Okay, that's great! I can tell Mr. Xemnas to rest easily now!" he exclaimed, looking and sounding euphoric as he closed the door and left them. Larxene jumped up and down and clapped her hands.

"Did you hear that, Axel? Now Mr. Xemnas won't think we do IT all the time in here."

She looked so delighted and so much like a child that Axel had to smile, but he felt the need to warn her of something first…

"Don't jump up and down like that. It makes your skirt flare up and I can see…"

Larxene sweatdropped. "Let me guess. My…"

"Oh yeah. White cotton suits you," Axel replied.

"You are such a pervert," Larxene said. "If I were a violent woman, you would have bee slapped so many times by now…" she continued with a little shake of her head, wishing that she were a violent woman.

Axel laughed as he sat down, "Okay, but you have _got _to tell me the whole story behind that outfit!"

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**Nightshroud:** Very long chapter. Oh wow I sound so dirty with this one. Lol can't you imagine it? I was inspired by the CoM remakec clips, where Larxene stroked Axel's chin. And it made me wonder, what if I took that a step further? And this dirty smut was the result haha. I hope you enjoyed. Review, and there will be some fluff next chapter! 


	5. Confessions in the Dark

**Chapter 5: Confessions in the Dark**

"Ugh, I'm so glad I'm almost finished so I can go home and get out of this slut outfit," Larxene announced to no one in particular. She looked over to see Axel slumped over his desk, fast asleep. She rolled her eyes and threw a paper ball at his head. He immediately jolted upward and exclaimed:

"I wasn't sleeping! I wasn't sleeping!" Larxene laughed.

"I believe you, Axel."

He smiled and turned to look at her. "So, did you get the product research for Marluxia, then?"

Larxene had told him all about her clothes designer best friend when she told him the whole story behind her 'don't-I-look-like-a-hooker' outfit earlier.

"Yes, and then some," Larxene said with a laugh.

"So what did they all think?" he asked, trying not to oggle her.

Larxene lowered her voice to sound like a man, and widened her eyes, letting her mouth fall open.

"Uh, Larxene, that's uh...quite, uh...I mean, uh…"

Axel laughed despite himself.

"That tends to go on for a while and then they either choke or drool. Then they make an excuse and leave, because they are embarrassing themselves."

"And that was without you making moves on them, like you did to me. At least I held in my composure, as difficult as that was."

Now he was flirting with her. And she had tried to seduce him earlier. Okay, so she had been playing a trick on him, but she couldn't deny that his warm hold on her was nice…and she had a feeling that, if Xemnas hadn't come in, she would really have kissed him. Her original plan was to dart away from him at the last minute and say "Got you!" before laughing. But she wasn't sure she would have been able to do that, had Xemnas not done it for her, in a way.

In a sudden horrible flash of realisation, it dawned on her that a tiny part of her had _wanted _to kiss him. And now she was banging her head off her desk, being watched by a rightfully anxious Axel.

"Larxene, are you-" he began, before Larxene cut him off.

"Alright? Yes, of course I am. I do this every day," and then she laughed.

"You…do?" Axel asked tentatively, as if he wasn't quite sure he could possibly have heard her correctly. Larxene was tempted to yell, "Hell no, of course not, you idiot, don't you know sarcasm when you hear it?!"

But instead she answered, "Yes, I have a…neurological disorder. It causes me to bang my head off things and walk into things."

"Don't people usually walk into things when they're clumsy?" Axel asked with an eyebrow raised, sounding skeptical.

"How can you be so mean to someone who has a neurological disorder?!" Larxene asked in a sort of a wailing tone of voice.

"Simple. It's because you _don't_," Axel answered.

"I _do_!" Larxene protested as she tried to desperately to think of one.

"I have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder!" she announced triumphantly a few seconds later.

"Bless you," Axel replied, for the words sounded like a sneeze. Larxene made a noise that indicated she was both annoyed and trying desperately not to laugh.

"You're a schizophrenic klutz," Axel replied, sounding matter-of-fact.

"I beg your PARDON?!" Larxene spluttered incredulously.

"Klutzes, like you, walk into things, and schizophrenics have a tendency to bang their heads on things in order to quieten the voices in their heads," Axel said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"How do you know that? I think _you _are the schizophrenic!" Larxene exclaimed, and giggled in all the fake dramaticness of Axel's expression.

"_And _I see you walk into things all the time!" she exclaimed, with all the triumphant air of someone who had just caught their sworn enemy in the middle of murder.

"I guess we're _both _schizophrenic klutzes together, then," Axel said with a smile. Larxene felt the beginnings of a return smile on her face, but then she frowned.

"At least if you were schizophrenic then it would explain your split personality- nice Axel and not so nice Axel."

Axel shot her a sly grin. "But I'm always a little bit nice, right?" he asked, obviously teasing her.

"Don't push it," she said with a laugh. She suddenly looked at him and realized that they were getting along. And she in a way, she found his company enjoyable.

"Well, this has been an interesting day, but I think it's high time I got home and got out of this skank get-up. She stood up as the lights suddenly flickered.

"That's weird..." Axel said. The lights flickered before they suddenly shut off. ALL of them. The whole building was plunged into darkness. Larxene let off a scream that made Axel fall out of his chair.

"What was that?!" he asked as he tried to find his way off the floor.

"Sorry," she said, slightly embarrassed. "I'm just..."

"Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark!" he said.

"So what if I am?" she said icily. She tried to walk but stumbled in the dark. Axel caught her, and she blushed (and thank God the lights were off) as she realized that he had his arms around her.

"You all right?" he asked. She pushed away and stood up.

"I'm fine."

He sighed and sat down against the wall, putting his arms behind his head.

"Well, nothing to do but wait."

"Why don't we try to get out?" she asked.

"Larxene, we're on the twelfth floor. We'd die before we made it out in this pitch blackness."

"Just a thought," she said as she sat next to him, hugging her knees to her chest. Axel put his arms down and looked to where he figured she was.

"Well, it'll be a shame Marluxia will have to be kept in suspense longer about how well his research went."

They both laughed, but eventually quieted down. Larxene shifted closer to him.

"Keep talking, please. I won't be so afraid if there's continuous noise."

"So that's what you think my charming and intelligent conversation is? Continuous noise?" Axel teased, pretending to be offended. When Larxene didn't even make any motion to acknowledge that he had spoken, he sighed.

"I can't believe that you're an adult and still afraid of the dark!"

"Well, you better believe it. Just be glad I haven't asked you if I can sit in your lap," Larxene said.

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

"Do you want to?"

"Sit in your LAP?! You're kidding, right?" Larxene asked.

He shrugged and tried to act as though he was in his right mind.

"You can, if you want to. If it'll make you feel better."

"Really? You're sure? If you're just playing around, say so now," Larxene said, sounding suspicious.

"No, I'm serious. If it'll make you feel better, you can do it," he replied. He wasn't quite sure why he was being so thoughtful, but it seemed like he couldn't control what he was saying at the moment.

"Well, if you're sure."

She scooted onto his lap, her legs curled up so that they didn't reach beyond the knees of Axel's outstretched legs. She laid her head on his chest as his arms circled around her waist.

"Thanks, this is really...comforting," she said slowly, yawning afterward. Was that what she thought of their position? Axel thought differently, but then again Larxene was in an outfit that was...interesting, to say the least.

"Axel, you're not saying anything."

"Oh, sorry."

Axel began to talk about the different employees at the company, since it was the first thing he could think of. Larxene nodded in all the right places and slid her arms around Axel's waist, hugging him tightly.

Up until now, Axel thought he was being punished for having perverted thoughts about Larxene. But now he suddenly realized that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.

He was shaken out of his thoughts by Larxene's steady breathing against him. He smiled and rested his head on hers. He sat in silence for a long time, before he finally got the urge to break the silence. He felt like he had to get something off his chest, and now that she was asleep he figured it would be easier to say.

"You know...I really am sorry for treating you badly before. I guess, when I saw you the first time, I was actually nervous. You were unlike any of the other women I'd been around. You were smart, pretty, and hard-to-get. To tell the truth, you actually scared me. So, I acted like a jerk to you, because I wasn't sure how else to react. I guess maybe I wondered if I could handle you. But now, I don't think I could be happier with anyone else as a partner."

"That was very sweet, Axel," said Larxene softly. Axel's eyes widened as he realized that she had heard everything he had said.

"You're awake..." he said, more of a statement than a question. She laughed as she snuggled into him more.

"You didn't think I'd sleep around you in this outfit."

"Larxene," he said, sliding a hand onto her bare leg, "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't trust me."

"Got that right," she said, slapping his hand. He laughed and brushed some hair away from her face.

"Go ahead and get back to your rest, Sleeping Beauty." She yawned before moving slightly startled.

"Have I been on your lap this whole time?" Larxene asked suddenly.

"We're trapped in our office during a black-out and THAT'S what you're worried about?!" Axel asked, sounding disbelieving.

"How come your legs aren't dead?" she ploughed on, ignoring his outburst.

"Believe me, Larxene, when I say they are beyond dead. They've died about one hundred times. I don't think I'll ever feel anything in my legs again," he answered. Larxene sounded horrified when she gasped.

"I'm so sorry!" she breathed, and scooted to the side and off his legs. Axel felt kind of bad that he made her feel so awful when he was half-joking, but the sensation of blood returning to his legs distracted him.

"Oh! Ohhh! Ohhhh…." he moaned, unsettling Larxene somewhat.

"Could you please be a little quieter?" she asked, sounding distinctly uncomfortable as she wrung her hands nervously.

"Why, am I disturbing Princess Larxene? I'm so sorry - perhaps you forgot the reason my legs are dead is you," he spat as he massaged them frantically to try and assist the natural flow of blood.

_"Don't you DARE tell him that it's a turn-on,"_ Larxene ordered herself, including that stupid part of her brain that often caused her to voice things the sane part of her wanted to keep secret.

"Uh, yeah…" Larxene answered vaguely, secretly congratulating herself for keeping the stupid part of her under control.

There was a sudden noise, like a creaking floorboard, and in the darkness it sounded quite sinister. Axel grabbed Larxene around the waist and pulled her towards him in a defensive gesture - he was feeling paranoid and didn't want to take any chances.

"Aku!" Larxene gasped in shock. Axel quite forgot about the noise at that point.

"Did you just call me 'Aku'?" Axel asked her, his voice indicating that he was smiling, whether he just found the whole thing funny or whether he was annoyed, Larxene couldn't guess.

"Yes, but it was an accident. I-I'm sorry, it was very disrespectful of me -" Larxene began babbling before Axel effectively cut her off by placing his fingers on her chin and lower cheek.

"Don't apologise," he murmured. Larxene's breath hitched in her throat.

"I can't believe I'm hearing Axel be nice. What's going on here?"

"Hey, what happened to 'Aku'?" he asked in a teasing tone. He could imagine Larxene's face reddening even though he couldn't see.

"What do you mean, 'what happened to 'Aku''?" Larxene asked, feigning ignorance.

"You know exactly what I mean," he replied, 'it's just that I preferred 'Aku' in that gaspy, shocked way you just said it to 'Axel, you are the biggest bastard I have ever had the misfortune of meeting' in that tone of exasperation and disgust, the way you usually say it."

For once, Larxene didn't know what to say. She didn't know he ever noticed the way she said his name, and she definitely didn't know he cared, however tiny the emotion was.

"Well, I like being apologised to, but we don't always get what we want, do we? I told you that calling you that name that once was an accident," Larxene said.

"You like being apologised to?" Axel asked, sounding slightly disbelieving.

"Yes, I do. Of COURSE I do! Who doesn't like someone to tell you they're sorry when they hurt or wrong you?" Larxene asked.

"You just don't seem like the type of person who would like something so stupid and simple so much…" he said thoughtfully, then, "If you don't call me Aku then I will never apologise to you EVER again," he threatened.

"Well, fine, then! I will NEVER refer to you as Aku! You'll always be 'Axel', the perverted, annoying slug that I share an office with. And I'll say your name with all the disgust and exasperation I wish!" Larxene exclaimed.

Axel was slightly hurt by that, but said quickly, "And YOU are still 'Larxene', that WHINING LITTLE GIRL who needs to lose some weight who thinks she can do an executive job and who also thinks she's funny, pretty, smart, has really soft hair and smells great. But I don't think she's pretty or funny or smells great or ANYTHING like that!"

Larxene stopped for a moment. Was she really a whining little girl? Was that what he really thought? And did she really need to lose weight?

"Well, FINE BY ME!" she yelled, proud of her quick recovery.

"And I'm not apologizing for calling you a whining little girl. Or for saying you're carrying extra weight, because you sat on me for over an hour so I should KNOW!" he shouted.

"I don't want you to apologize!" Larxene replied, her voice still louder than usual.

Even though she really, desperately did want him to apologise. A girl's weight was always one of the things she was most sensitive about and he had just been really cruel about hers.

"I'm never apologising to you EVER. Not if I call you fat again, not even if I hurt you so bad you CRY," he rattled off.

"Okay, I get the idea!" Larxene yelled, trying to keep the tears in her eyes and fighting hard to stop her voice from quivering.

"Good!"

"Fine!"

She pushed off of him and scooted away. He looked over in the darkness and frowned. To tell the truth. he felt really bad about what he had said. To top it all off, he thought he heard her crying.

"Larxene?"

She didn't respond, but pushed his hand away as he tried to touch her.

"I'm...I'm sorry. I really am. Could you...forgive me? I didn't mean any of those things. You're smart, pretty, funny, have soft hair, and smell very good. And I think you have a great figure."

That last one made him blush. She turned to him and said quietly.

"You...do?"

"Yeah, I do."

He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.

"And I think you're smart, cute, funny, have great hair, and smell great. I have to get some of that cologne for Marluxia."

"Maybe we can go to the mall some time," he said hopefully. She nodded and rested her head on his chest again. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. His last thoughts as he fell asleep were:

_"She feels so right in my arms..."_

**

* * *

**

**Nightshroud: **Very long and fluffy! ) Sorry I just felt like babbling a lot. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Leave a review and some love for the hard-working author!


	6. Lights Out

**Chapter 6: Lights Out**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: Thanks so much for all your reviews! I think I said before that Xaldin was one of the executive members, but I've decided to narrow that down to only Xemnas, Saix, Luxord, and Xigbar. Anyway, here we go!

* * *

It was three hours after the start of the power cut when Xaldin entered Larxene and Axel's office with a flashlight to find the pair asleep side by side. 

"Wake up!" he hissed as he poked the pair gently. They opened their eyelids slowly, and Larxene screamed when she saw the not-properly-lit face of Xaldin so close to hers.

"What, what is it, Larxene?!" Axel yelled sleepily, suddenly alert.

"It's just me, Xaldin!" Xaldin said, trying to sound reassuring. Larxene breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh, thank God, I didn't recognise you because your face was only half-lit. I thought you were some murderer, or rapist or a...an axe-wielding maniac!" Larxene exclaimed.

"Thanks," Xaldin said dryly.

"Yes, Larxene, of course you see murderers, rapists and axe-wielding maniacs everyday on the twelfth floors of buildings during power cuts," Axel said sarcastically.

"Will you two stop making fun of me?" Larxene wailed, but she was giggling herself as she shoved Axel gently and the two men laughed.

"The powers out all over the city. It turned out bigger than we originally though," said Xaldin after they had finished their laugh.

"Was there really any point in you coming to get us then? We might be able to get out of the building, but it's pitch-black outside, there's no way we could get home," Axel said to him.

"No, I'm not here to get you out, I'm here to bring you with me downstairs. A few others and I are searching the building with flashlights and taking all employees down to the first floor. You two are the only people left on the twelfth floor, and Mr. Xemnas and the executives are all off the thriteenth floor, so come down with me. All the other employees with offices on the first to eleventh floors are already down in the reception area," Xaldin explained.

"So you're aiming to get all the employees down on to the first floor so we can wait all together until the power comes back on?" Larxene asked, her brow furrowed. Xaldin nodded.

"Okay, then," Axel said, and he got to his feet before offering his hand to Larxene and helping her to her feet, "Let's go."

And the trio made their way out of the office and slowly down the stairs.

* * *

All the employees were now sitting in groups on the floor, huddled into balls of light as candles and torches shone brightly. People looked dazed and tired - all had given up on getting any more information out of Xemnas. Axel noticed that Larxene looked particularly exhausted, her blue eyes oddly blank as they stared at nothing. 

"You can go to sleep, you know," Axel whispered softly to her. She shook her head in response.

"I promise I won't do anything," Axel said with a roll of his eyes, "In fact, I'll protect you. Nobody (haha) will come near you if I'm here."

"That," Larxene said, looking infinitely more comfortable all of a sudden, "wasn't what I was worried about."

"Yes, it was," Axel said with a grin. Now it was Larxene's turn to roll her eyes.

"You think you know everything," Larxene said accusingly, but a lazy smile was curving her lips.

"That's because I do know everything," Axel teased. Larxene laid her head on Axel's shoulder.

"You," she paused to yawn widely, "wish."

And with that, she fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

Axel kept his word, and watched over her all night. It wasn't like he could bloody well get to sleep anyway, with… her…there. All he could think about was her breath against his neck, the soft silk of her hair that fell everywhere, the way she smelled...and how beautiful she looked. 

This was NOT HAPPENING. If it was, it was all the irony he could think of. He forced himself to think of other things, but still every hour dragged on like a week…

* * *

Larxene stretched and yawned. 

"Good morning, Axel," she said, her voice holding more than just a hint of surprise when she realised he was still awake. She checked her watch. 8:00 A.M.

"So," she said to Axel, whose eyes were wide open and lined with red veins, "did you sleep for a while in the middle of the night then wake up again?"

"Nope," said Axel, and it sounded suspiciously as if his teeth were gritted, "I've been awake ALL NIGHT."

"Really?! You didn't need to stay awake all night just to watch me, you know," Larxene said, sounding embarrassed as she rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. Axel shrugged.

"I said I would watch over you, and I did. I'm a man of my word," Axel said with a shrug. Of course, that wasn't the reason he hadn't slept. He simply hadn't been able to…

"Well, thank you…" Larxene said with a sleepy smile as she stretched her arms above her head and flushed with embarrassment. Axel wanted very desperately to yell at her for something, but couldn't think of anything she had done wrong.

"It's okay," he mumbled, already looking around the room at other people, a good number of whom were still sleeping. He recognized Demyx, a childish employee that worked near him; Roxas, a young intern who was still in college; Vexen, head of research; Zexion, (I can't think of his job yet...lol); Lexaeus, who was the janitor (haha), as well as Xaldin, Xigbar, Luxord, Saix, and Xemnas. Suddenly curious, he got to his feet and walked to a light switch. He almost laughed in delight when a light came on, despite the fact that it wasn't necessary, given the sunshine of the morning.

Larxene's eyes widened in surprise, and she really did laugh delightedly. Suddenly, not too far from her, Xemnas jumped awake.

"What time is it?!" he demanded blearily.

"Eight A.M.," Larxene supplied cheerfully.

"Crap. That's just crap," Saix replied.

"Well, SOMEBODY'S not a morning person," Larxene stated, sounding a little hurt.

"No, it's not your fault," Saix said quickly when he realised she had misinterpreted his words as he rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands, "it's just that…Axel, how many people are left here?"

"About two hundred, I think, Mr. Saix," Axel answered promptly from his position at the light switch. Larxene's eyes betrayed her confusion.

"Well, that's not so bad," Xemnas answered.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Xemnas?" Larxene asked in a concerned tone.

"Well, Larxene, it's like this: when there was a power-cut last night, it was five P.M.," Xemnas began. Larxene nodded very seriously and said, "Right, with you so far," in such a serious fashion that Axel had to choke back a laugh.

"Which is the earliest time employees normally start to think about leaving," Xemnas continued. Larxene nodded again.

"As you know, the company works by everyone having to do a certain number of hours each week, so not everyone goes home at five. I think we've lost a lot of hours of work because of the power-cut. For a start, lots of people who would have worked until later last night couldn't, and I'll bet everything I own that we're going to get a ton of people calling in sick tomorrow, because they want to go home and sleep," Xemnas said, rubbing his temples with his fingertips and screwing up his eyes in intense concentration.

"Yeah," Larxene said, pausing as she waited for him to continue.

"So we were hoping to go round people and ask them if they would go home for about two hours and come back in and work the rest of today. We'd only need around fifty people," Luxord concluded. Larxene looked worried.

"I'm afraid I don't think many people will be tempted -" Larxene began, but Xemnas interrupted her.

"I'll pay them triple overtime!" he said. Larxene and Axel exchanged a look, as if to say 'why do I have a funny feeling we're being volunteered for this?'

"Well, count Axel and I in!" Larxene chirped, trying to ignore the death glare her office-mate shot at her, "See you in a couple of hours!"

And she dragged Axel out the door with her.

"Axel, I -" she began when they were out in the sunny parking-lot, but Axel shook his head with an odd sort of a grin.

"Nah, it's okay, I know what you're like. He looked so pathetic and hopeful, and you just couldn't resist," Axel said. Larxene looked sheepish.

"I know, I'm sorry, I-" she paused for a moment, as if searching for the right words, "thank you." She said, eyes shining, and, after looking sort of lost for a moment, quickly threw her arms around his neck in a brief hug.

"I'll see you later!" she said as she ran to her car. As soon as Axel reckoned she was far enough away, he slumped to the ground.

"This is so BLOODY INCONVENIENT!" he yelled, causing several startled birds to fly out of nearby trees.

Just then Larxene drove past him in her car. She stopped, her window rolled down.

"Axel, did I just hear you yell something?" she asked, looking bewildered. Axel jumped to his feet.

"I was just… shouting about what a… beautiful morning it is!" he babbled. Larxene smiled, but it was a little uneasy.

"Okay, see you later," she answered as she drove out, apparently satisfied. Probably a little frightened, but satisfied.

"Yes," Axel muttered, "what a beautiful morning. Birds are singing, the sun is shining, there's a demented man yelling and telling unconvincing lies in the parking lot…Yeah, what a bloody beautiful morning."

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Hmm is Axel falling in love? Or is he just wasted from lack of sleep? Hehe I'll let you speculate. Oh Aku is short for Akuseru, which is Axel's Japanese name. And I couldn't think of a cute nickname for Larxene to give him, so I just used Aku. Anyway, hope you enjoyed the chap. Review and let me know how you liked. 8D 


	7. Bad Positioning

**Chapter 7: Bad Positioning**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: Thank you all for your continued support. More humor in this chapter. Don't worry about the fluff. I'll put some more in soon. Oh haha it does seem that way, but I didn't plan for Marluxia to be gay. I mean rooming with a girl like that and not having a realtionship would be...questionable. But no I guess they're just good friends...Well interpret it as you wish. I just wanted to make a best friend for Larxene for her to spill her thoughts and stories on, and Marluxia seemed like the best option. So, on we go!

* * *

Xemnas had plenty of reason to smile as he walked down the corridor. It was a bright sunny morning, birds were singing… And there were some strange sounds coming from behind the door of the office he had just passed - Larxene and Axel's office. They had arrived an hour ago, along with the other employees he had managed to convince to return. 

He walked back a few paces and leaned against the door, listening intently.

"Push HARDER, AXEL!" a female voice, undoubtedly Larxene, yelled.

"I'm pushing as hard as I can!" Axel replied, his voice also a yell.

"Well, it's not good enough!" Larxene replied with a groan.

"We shouldn't be up on this table, we're gonna break it!" Larxene yelled after a moment.

"We have to be on the table for this part!" Axel replied.

As this dialogue was flavored by bouts of grunting and groaning, Xemnas began to get rather a… disturbing… idea as to what the two inhabitants might be doing.

"Try a little harder! Are you a man or aren't you?" Larxene asked.

"YOU should be the LAST person in any doubt of THAT," Axel replied.

"I KNEW we should have got someone to help us with this!" Larxene exclaimed.

"HELP THEM?!" Xemnas couldn't quite believe his ears.

"Maybe if I turn around on to my back…" Axel said thoughtfully.

"No need! I can see it now!" Larxene exclaimed.

"Well, where is it?" Axel asked.

"You should know!" she shot back.

"This table's too slippery!" Axel moaned.

"Well, we tried being down on the carpet, but that didn't work!"

Xemnas whimpered, followed by a yelp from Larxene.

"You deserved that," Axel said, "You were the one who told me to push harder!"

"Well, how was I to know you would push quite that HARD?!"

"Did you know there's a hole down here?" Axel asked.

"Well, that's what I EXPECTED!" Larxene shouted.

"Try using your fingers!" Larxene suggested, "and poke around a lot."

"I can't! My fingers are too big!" Axel protested.

"Well, if the hole's too small, there's not much I can do about it!" Larxene exclaimed.

"Maybe if you would hold still…" Axel grunted.

"But I like moving around!" Larxene protested.

"Maybe you should get off the table," Larxene suggested.

"Well, if I'm getting off the table, then YOU'RE coming too!"

"Yeah, I kinda figured that. You sorta need me for this, don't you?" Larxene said with a laugh.

"Oh wait, Axel, you're almost there!" Larxene gasped. Axel grunted in response.

"Just a little further…" she said.

"Hey, this is harder than it looks, you know!" Axel snapped.

Xemnas decided he had had enough.

"WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING IN HERE?!" he yelled as he pushed the door open to reveal Larxene and Axel looking flushed and sweaty, but still perfectly innocent.

"Anything wrong, Mr. Xemnas?" Larxene asked politely.

"You! Him! I! Thought! What? Why?" he babbled, as he pointed at them.

"Oh, Mr. Xemnas, you thought we were doing IT again, didn't you?" Larxene asked with a laugh, as if it were funny, even though it wasn't.

"There's a totally innocent explanation for all the noises, Mr. Xemnas," Axel said with a glare at Larxene.

"You see, I dropped my pencil," Larxene began.

"And it rolled along the floor and under that really tall filing cabinet," Axel continued.

"So Axel and I tried to move the filing cabinet while standing on the floor. Axel was rather reluctant to help, but since it was his fault I dropped it in the first place -" Larxene said, giving Axel a look.

"It was NOT my fault!" Axel objected.

"It WAS your fault! You scared me on purpose so I would drop it and you KNEW that was my favorite pencil!" Larxene exclaimed.

Axel wanted to roll his eyes. Of COURSE he scared her on purpose - he had to do something mean to her to remind him that, with Larxene, that was what he was supposed to do. Of course, like the idiot he was, he just ended up feeling bad for doing it.

"Well, I tried to help you get it back, didn't I?" Axel snapped. Larxene had to admit that that was true, but she didn't say anything. Eventually Axel said something to break the uncomfortable silence that had settled over the trio.

"But, because the filing cabinet was so tall, it was impossible to get the momentum required to move it while standing on the floor," Axel explained.

"In plain English, that means 'we had to get up higher.' So we climbed on to my desk, which is beside the cabinet," Larxene said helpfully.

"And we pushed REALLY hard, and at the start it didn't work, but eventually we managed to push it far enough over," Axel said.

"Well, actually, I pushed," Larxene said with a sigh.

"I pushed too! Why do you think I'm so tired-looking then, huh?!" Axel exclaimed.

"Anyway, we found there was a hole in the floor which the pencil must have rolled down," said Larxene, expertly ignoring Axel in the way only she could.

"And I tried to lean down and reach it while still on the table, but that didn't work," Axel continued.

"So we went down on to the floor - I went too because Axel was going to need me when he finally admitted his hands were just too big and weren't going to fit," Larxene said.

"And I had almost reached it when you came in," Axel finished.

"Well, that all seems to check out, except that it doesn't explain why you were telling Larxene to hold still," Xemnas said slowly. Larxene immediately looked sheepish.

"Well, I was shaking the table on purpose to be annoying," she explained as she rubbed the back of her neck and sweatdropped.

"And why did Larxene yelp?" Xemnas asked.

"Well, I pushed the cabinet so hard she lost her balance," Axel said, looking just as embarrassed as Larxene at his childish behaviour.

"And you're all flushed and sweaty because of the effort required to move the cabinet," Xemnas continued. Larxene beamed at him, as if he were a child who finally understood that one and one equal two.

"Exactly," she said.

"Oh, well I'm glad it wasn't what I thought," Xemnas said with a relieved sigh. "Oh, and I meant to ask, how's the packing going? You're leaving tomorrow for that convention thing, aren't you?"

Larxene groaned. She'd completely put it out of her mind. She glanced at Axel, who seemed to be blushing slightly at the thought.

_"Wonder what that's about?"_

"Well, I'd better leave you alone so you can finish your work and get home to pack," Xemnas said, exiting the door.

"Right, sir," Axel said as he shut the door. Larxene walked quietly back to her desk. Axel seemed speechless as well. The thought of the trip together had ruined all possible attempt at talk. The rest of the day continued in near silence.

* * *

"Larxene," Marluxia asked Larxene later that night, "how's the packing going?" 

"Unsurprisingly," Larxene answered from her position reclining on her bed, "not good."

Marluxia rolled his eyes. He was standing in the doorway to Larxene's room and poking his head around the door.

The room was a mess, with clothes thrown everywhere and an empty, open suitcase lying in the middle of the floor.

"Why am I not surprised?" Marluxia asked with a smile.

"Possibly because I'm the WORST packer in the world," Larxene replied with her own grin.

"It's also possibly because you're lying on your bed not doing anything, and also possibly because you don't really want to go, so you can't face packing," Marluxia said, his finger on his chin in a thoughtful pose.

"Marluxia," Larxene said with a sigh, "you know me too well."

"So, since you have to leave TOMORROW, and you haven't even STARTED, would you perhaps like a hand from possibly the BEST packer in the world?" Marluxia asked with a laugh.

"By the way, Mar, have I told you lately that you're my very best friend and I love you to pieces?" Larxene asked as she hopped off her bed.

"Well, you were the one who crowned me 'best packer in the world' the last time I helped you pack for something, so that's enough of a compliment," Marluxia replied as he began to pick up the clothes and ask Larxene whether or not she wanted to take each garment before folding it up and putting it away neatly.

"We're done!" Larxene announced triumphantly as she and Marluxia got off the suitcase they had just managed to close.

"We?" he asked slyly. Larxene laughed and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"I'll make it up to you. Promise."

"You can make it up by promising not to come back pregnant," he said with a grin as he dodged a shoe that came flying by him.

"Not funny!" she called after him as he fled from the room.

"Better get some sleep!" he called back. She sat down on her bed and rested her head on her pillow. Her eyelids fluttered, then slowly closed as she fell into restless sleep.

_"Me and Axel...on a trip together..."_

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Haha the first part of this chapter was so dirty sounding that I had to get help from another friend of mine and we brainstormed the most misunderstood perverted situation ever. Lol I think we pulled it off rather well. Yes, Axel and Larxene go on their trip next time! Review and await with baited breath! 


	8. Pregnant AND Eloping

**Chapter 8: Pregnant AND Eloping**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: Well, concerning Marluxia's orientation haha, he seemed perfectly straight in the Gameboy CoM, but in the manga he seemed really gay. So...I guess it's up to how you perceive it. Axel and Larxene are on different times, mind you. Well anyway, enjoy the chap! Try not to gawk at the title haha.

* * *

Axel was running slightly late. Only slightly, mind. It was five A.M. and he had to finish packing, have a shower, get dressed, drive down to the airport, find Larxene, check in and board the plane in the next hour. But he could manage that, right?

* * *

Larxene awoke with a moan when she realised what day it was, and wanted to cry when she saw what time it was. She hauled herself out of bed, immensely glad that Marluxia had assisted her in packing the night before and stumbled to the bathroom as she wiped sleep from her eyes with a huge yawn.

* * *

Axel threw the last remaining items he wanted to bring into his suitcase and ran into the bathroom to take the fastest shower he had ever taken.

* * *

Larxene emerged from the shower feeling refreshed and a great deal more awake. She glanced at her clock. Four-thirty A.M. No problem, she still had plenty of time. She dressed and walked down into the kitchen, where a piece of paper with her name in big lettering sat on the table.

"Larxene," it said, "_good luck with the convention. Have a good flight, and a nice trip. Even though you are with Axel, try not to go insane. Or murder him. Neither would be very pleasant. Sorry I wasn't able to say goodbye in person, but I didn't feel like getting up in what is practically the middle of the night." _

Marluxia

P.S. Do you have your toothbrush? I can't remember if I packed it. Well, you could always use Axel's. (wink) Oh, great, now you're going to kill me the next time you see me. Oh well, it was worth it.

Remember to lift your passport from your top drawer in your cabinet, and your plane ticket too (I put it with your passport).

Have fun, but not too much fun haha. After all, you've been… having an awful lot of fun with Axel lately.(wink) Do your best at the actual businessy bit, too.

Good luck, I'm missing you already!'

Larxene smiled as she folded up the note. She was actually torn between whether she wanted to go and hug Marluxia for being sweet or strangle him for all the references he made to her and Axel's 'affair'. That was typical Marluxia, but Larxene loved him anyway.

* * *

Axel looked at his watch. Five-thirty A.M. He had thirty minutes to eat breakfast, drive to the airport, find Larxene, check in and board. In fact, skip breakfast - he wasn't _that_ hungry.

* * *

Larxene looked at her watch as swallowed a mouthful of cereal. Four-forty-five A.M. She'd have to get going soon. She put her empty bowl in the sink and picked up her suitcase before dragging it to her car and slamming the trunk shut after she threw it in. 

She got into the driver's seat and turned her key in the ignition before she realised that she hadn't lifted her passport and plane ticket. Feeling stupid, she took the keys back out of the ignition and dashed back inside the house.

* * *

Axel decided that, because there were no other drivers on the road, he could drive rather severely over the speed limit. Five-forty A.M. and it would be at least another five minutes before he arrived at the airport. Great.

* * *

Larxene had driven at a legal speed to the airport, and when she arrived it was five-ten A.M. She hauled her suitcase out of the trunk of her car after she found somewhere to park. Marluxia was coming by later to pick up her car and take it back to their house. 

She stood by the entrance to the airport to wait for Axel, but hoped he wouldn't be long- checking in and finding out where to go to get your plane sometimes took a long time.

* * *

Axel felt like he was having a heart attack. He pulled his suitcase as fast as he could towards the airport entrance and, saying goodbye to looking at least partly sane, simply yelled 'Larxene!' over and over again. It was stupid of them, really - they should have got each other's cell phone numbers so they could at least contact each other.

* * *

Larxene glanced at her watch - five-thirty-A.M. Axel must have been running late - she'd been standing for about twenty minutes looking lost and stupid. If he didn't get here soon, they were in danger of missing their flight. Every time someone walked past, Larxene's head snapped around to look at them, especially if they were about the same height as Axel. 

People were actually muttering about whether she was waiting to elope with someone, but they hadn't turned up. Or maybe she was waiting for someone who wasn't coming. Larxene's face burned with embarrassment as people said how sorry they felt for her, and she vowed to murder Axel with her bare hands when he turned up. _If_ he turned up.

* * *

Axel gulped. He had spotted Larxene at the airport entrance and she looked murderous. Hardly surprising really, as it was… He gasped. Five-fifty A.M.! He hadn't thought it was quite _that_ bad… 

"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU!" Larxene roared as soon as she saw Axel.

"Listen, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry!" he babbled. Then he took a proper look at her face.

"Have you been…crying, Larxene?" he asked softly, immediately feeling terrible. Yesterday had really been business as usual, with plenty more arguments after the pencil incident, so he hadn't really been able to concentrate on the (ahem) beautiful morning. If you get my drift.

"Of course not!" she snapped.

"Now, we have to get to the check-in desk RIGHT NOW, because if we don't, I don't think that we're going to make it to this convention," Larxene said, suddenly business-like.

"Right," Axel replied, and he took hold of Larxene's suitcase as well as his own and they ran inside.

"I'm so glad that nice girl's boyfriend made it in time," an elderly woman said to her companion.

"Yes, she deserves to have a nice time eloping after waiting for so long. How romantic- a mad dash to the check-in," the other elderly woman replied. The two women sighed as they remembered their youth, and all the crazy things they did.

* * *

"Check-in point… B! This way, Axel! Hurry up!" Larxene cried. Axel grunted behind her. 

"It's easy for you to say, you're not the one dragging two ridiculously heavy suitcases!" Axel replied.

They made it to the check-in point, but there was a queue. A huge queue, and they had only five minutes left.

"_Now_ what are we going to do?" Axel asked desperately, turning to Larxene as if he expected her to suddenly have the best idea of her life.

"How the HELL should I know?" Larxene yelled back.

"Well, how the hell should _I_ know?" he asked, his voice becoming louder to match Larxene's.

"It's YOUR fault we're so late. If you had managed to get your STINKIN ASS to the FRIGGING AIRPORT on TIME, we wouldn't be in this mess! I was ready to check in FORTY BLOODY MINUTES ago!" Larxene shrieked.

"Whoa, Larxene, calm down…" Axel said as he raised his hands defensively.

People were turning to look at the two and some were muttering. An attendant dressed in full uniform sidled up to the pair looking embarrassed.

"Excuse me, Sir, Ma'am, but you're making a scene…" he said nervously, his eyes darting around, throwing glances at everyone in the vicinity.

"Well, excuse me mister, but I think YOU'D be making a scene if _your_ PIECE OF CRAP col-" Larxene began, but Axel hastily shoved a hand over her mouth. She had been about to say "piece of crap _colleague"_, but that would certainly ruin his plans.

"Calm down, darling. I'm so sorry sir, she's pregnant, you see…Hormones, mood swings and the like…" Axel addressed first the struggling Larxene, then the attendant.

"Oh, you're pregnant?! How lovely!" the attendant exclaimed, talking to Larxene. Larxene moved to shake her head violently, but Axel held it still.

"Yes, she's…" Axel began, then thought for a moment. What was a reasonable amount of time to suggest? "…four months along."

Thank God Larxene had worn a comfortable, baggy shirt to fly in.

"Oh, I see, my wife was at her most hormonal during her third and fourth months, so I completely understand. In fact, if you come with me, I'll check you in right now," he said with a knowing smile. Axel tried not to grin like a maniac. What a great stroke of luck!

"Oh, thank you so much! I'm sure my…" Again he paused. He couldn't say that Larxene was his fiancé or wife, as she didn't have a ring.

"…girlfriend and I would both agree that that would be great! In fact, it's doubly special for us because we're eloping!" Axel exclaimed, getting more and more into his story as he let go of Larxene and they followed the attendant.

Larxene glared daggers at him after the "eloping" part. It was bad enough that she was supposedly pregnant, without Axel making matters worse!

"Eloping!" cried the attendant as they reached an unattended check-in desk, "How wonderful! My wife always said that she wishes _we_ had eloped. I suppose it _is_ quite romantic, the idea of running away together."

"Yes," Axel said, but his voice was suddenly different, as if he were seriously contemplating something. It was rather romantic all the same, the idea of two people secretly booking a flight to somewhere and knowing that all they want to do is be together. Running away together. He liked the sound of that.

But then that made him think about running away with Larxene, and he suddenly wanted to yell about beautiful mornings again…

The change in Axel's tone made Larxene turn to look at him, and he could have sworn that, for a moment, there was concern in her eyes. But then the attendant finished checking them in, and, thanking him profusely, Larxene and Axel grabbed their carry-on luggage, leaving their main suitcases at the check-in and ran full tilt towards the boarding gate he had indicated.

The attendant watched them go with a smile on his face.

"Such a nice couple," he sighed.

* * *

"That was stupid, but I have to admit that it was some quick thinking!" Larxene panted as they turned left. 

"Of course it was! They didn't make me Head of Advertising for nothing!" Axel replied.

Larxene checked her watch. They had two minutes…

"Up there!" Axel yelled suddenly, pointing towards a door guarded by another airport official. They skidded to a halt in front of the desk and one very surprised official.

"Wow, you two just about made it!" he exclaimed as Larxene and Axel handed over their tickets.

"Tell me about it! He thought we should take a shortcut! Some shortcut! Can you believe I'm eloping with him?!" she complained to the official.

"Hey!" Axel objected. The official chuckled.

"You two make a cute couple," he said with a smile as he handed them back their documents.

With a look that suggested the two were trying to eat slugs, they said, "Thanks." Because, of course, real couples would love to be told that, and they had to seem as authentic as possible.

They ran outside through the door and up the steps on to the plane before putting away their carry-ons and flopping down on to their seats. Sighing contentedly, they watched as an air hostess patiently explained where the exits were for what was probably literally her hundredth time. (I hate it when they do that haha)

"I think I know why they get hired to be stewardesses," Larxene said lazily to Axel.

"Why?" Axel asked as he stretched.

"It's for their infallible enthusiasm and their Barbie-doll smiles," Larxene said, her eyes half-closed.

"Amen to that," Axel replied as he watched the woman look like an idiot as she demonstrated how to use the breathing masks in case of emergency. Somehow, she managed to smile showing all her teeth the whole way through. It was a pity that just made her look even more ridiculous. (I mean really, they do look like Barbies or something. Bah, enough bagging on stewardesses)

"You know, I'm so tired and stressed I feel as though I've already been through a business convention!" Larxene laughed.

"Me too. Listen, I meant to say earlier, I'm sorry I made you cry outside the airport," Axel said quietly to the blonde girl beside him. Her eyes were closed, and Axel strongly suspected she was falling asleep.

"Don't worry," she said with a smile, "I suspect it's just my pregnant-lady hormones."

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Haha quick thinking Axel! Ah, I loved this chapter because I could seriously see something like this happening with these two lol. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. Axel and Larxene on a trip together? Alone? Mmm and it's about to get worse too...hehe. But for who? (wink) I really do want to move into fluff, but I don't want to do it too quickly, so bear with me. 


	9. Marker Mischief

**Chapter 9: Marker Mischief**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: This chapter is more humor and nonsense on the plan. I was going to just have them land, but my one friend told me I should add this chapter, based on one time I was over her house when she was babysitting. Well, just replace me with Axel and her with Larxene, and you get a pretty good idea, minus the airplane stuff. Umm and NEVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCE put nail polish remover (acetate since I'm in chemisry now haha) on your face. Or use permanent marker as you will see hehe.

* * *

Axel was awake and very much bored. Larxene was asleep, and probably not bored. Darn it. Axel had nothing to do to pass the time. Well, that was a lie. He did have a fat black marker and a sleeping person. A blank canvas, if you will. And so, because he was bored, and because, really, Larxene deserved it (He didn't know why. He just had a gut feeling she did. Besides, the woman was infuriating) he proceeded to fill in the blank canvas. It really was wonderful art. He just hoped Larxene would feel the same way when she saw what he had done. Somehow, he doubted she would, but one can always hope. 

Larxene awoke thirty minutes later when the plane was going though some turbulence. She turned and stretched, looking at Axel beside her. She frowned in confusion when she saw that he appeared to be having difficulty withholding a laugh.

"What?" she asked, smiling a little at his expression.

"Nothing," he replied, trying to look casual.

"Nothing? Then why do you look like that?" Larxene asked, confused.

"Like what?"

"Like I'm the most hilarious thing you've ever seen," Larxene said, starting to get annoyed.

"I told you, it's nothing!" Axel exclaimed, "Besides, I thought you would have figured it out by now - you're just so beautiful that I can't stop staring." Axel's tone had turned to teasing and Larxene rolled her eyes.

"Okay, now I know for certain that something's up. Is there something on my face? Is that it?" Larxene asked.

"You might say that," Axel said fairly.

Larxene immediately looked afraid and began frantically searching through her carry-on bag for her compact. She snapped it open and saw her face reflected in it, but with a new black moustache and goatee. Then she turned to Axel with a murderous look in her eyes.

"I suppose you think this is funny?" she demanded, her voice throbbing with quiet fury. Axel did, but he wouldn't dare admit it.

"I'm sorry, I know it was a childish thing to do, but I was bored, and the temptation was just too much!" Axel exclaimed with wide eyes, trying to look innocent.

"This had better be water-soluble ink, Axel!" Larxene spat. Axel had a feeling that there was an 'or else' attached to the end of that sentence.

"I'm certain it is!" Axel exclaimed - he felt like he had been drowning but was just thrown a lifejacket. Upon further examination of the pen, however, he had nothing but bad news.

"It's not," he squeaked. Larxene narrowed her eyes.

"What?" she asked, her voice calm and dangerous, as if she was going to pounce on him and throttle him any second. Axel cleared his throat.

"It's...um...not water-soluble. It's...ah, permanent."

Larxene pursed her lips and took deep, regular breaths to keep herself calm. In through her nose, out through her mouth. In...and out.

"Give me a good reason not to kill you," Larxene said, her eyes closed. Axel figured this wasn't a good time for jokes, so he just attempted a pity approach.

"I'm, really, really sorry," Axel said, sounding a mix of sincere and afraid.

"I said a good reason!" Larxene exclaimed.

"It'll wear off eventually," Axel attempted. When Larxene didn't reply, he gulped.

"I've got it!" he exclaimed, "You can draw on me!"

"I could draw on your corpse though, too," Larxene reasoned, her eyes still closed. Axel laughed nervously.

"But you did have the idea, and it's a good one, so I suppose I can spare your life," she opened her eyes and smiled. Axel handed her the marker. She grinned evilly and got to work. Axel sat absolutely still for the procedure, as he knew he'd pushed his luck enough already.

When she finally declared herself finished, a few minutes later, she laughed, cried 'taa daa!' and showed him his reflection in her compact. Axel was far from amused.

"Don't you think you went a little overboard?"

He had a goatee and moustache identical to Larxene's, but she had also undertaken to provide him with thick eyebrows which made him look furious. He also had several scars with obvious stitches, like Frankenstein, and the occasional mole.

"Actually, I think it's a vast improvement," Larxene said, unable to suppress a smirk. Axel sighed.

"I guess it's the price I have to pay."

"Why did you do it, anyway?" Larxene asked, sounding genuinely wondering.

"Honestly, I don't know."

"You do a lot of things without knowing, don't you?" Larxene asked. He supposed she was referring to all the mean things he did to her while they were at the office.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she said quietly, undoing the belt that strapped her to the seat and getting up.

"What, do you have to announce it?" he asked in a light voice. Larxene could only manage a tired smile, and so Axel frowned at her back as she walked away.

_"Is she okay?"_ he wondered. He was fully aware that it was odd for him to be curious about her health or happiness, but this seemed serious. _"Perhaps I'm just hard to put up with..."_

* * *

Larxene stomped back from the bathroom a few minutes later, looking thoroughly annoyed. 

"People wouldn't stop staring at me!" she explained in a wail as she practically collapsed back down into her seat. She took a drink from her glass of water then smiled wickedly, an idea having just struck her.

"Oops!" she gasped as she 'accidentally' spilled a good part of the water on Axel: more specifically in the region of the crotch of his pants. Axel just looked at her.

"What?" she asked, trying to play innocent.

"You did that on purpose," he stated, but he didn't seem angry.

"Course I did," she answered.

"I suppose I deserve it," he said.

"Yes."

"Humiliation seems to be the theme for this flight, doesn't it?" Axel asked.

"Yes, and it's about to get a whole lot worse," Larxene said while reaching up and pressing a switch above her head, and so immediately calling an air stewardess.

"Yes, Miss, I was wondering if you had a spare pair of pants," Larxene whispered to the woman as Axel blushed spectacularly, "My friend seems to have had a little accident. Must have been all that turbulence…"

* * *

"I don't think that was funny," Axel said a little while later. 

"It's not like you were supposed to," Larxene replied with a shrug as she looked out of the window.

Axel couldn't find the necessary evil to even sulk, as he really couldn't be mad at her. He had, after all, started the whole thing. Plus, people probably really had been staring at her when she went to the bathroom. Axel wouldn't know, as he hadn't left his seat yet. Though, he had only just figured out that the air stewardess had been giving them both funny looks, not just the wet Axel. They surely hadn't much farther to fly. They'd already been in the air for a while.

Axel studied the marker carefully, reading every bit of the tiny white text on its shell. Then, he stumbled upon something that made him smile…

* * *

"You do realise that this is going to sting like hell," Larxene said to him as she dug through her carry-on bag, "And I also think you're a little crazy." Axel shrugged. 

"Has there ever been a time that you _didn't _think I was crazy?" he asked, and Larxene had to smile.

"No. I don't think this will work, though. It's a permanent marker, right?" Larxene asked, as she finally pulled a bottle of clear liquid from her bag.

"Well, it says on it 'Do not use near nail polish remover.' There must be a particular chemical in the remover that reacts with the ink or something… Besides, it was a cheap marker," he reasoned as Larxene poured a little of her nail varnish remover on to a handkerchief that Axel had handed her.

"Okay… Tell me if it really hurts, and I'll stop," Larxene said. Axel nodded, and she placed the cloth to his face and began to rub rather brutally.

"It doesn't actually hurt," he said, "It's more a kind of cooling sensation." Larxene looked grim.

"Yeah, it'll feel like that for a while, then it'll start to burn. I'll try and do this as quickly as possible, because I don't actually think that you should breathe in fumes from nail polish remover," she said, starting to sound a little panicked. Axel's skin was red, but the pen was coming off easily. Almost too easily…

"Let's go to the bathroom," she said suddenly, hauling Axel from his seat and tugging him off to the direction of the bathroom, "Your face is really red - we should splash it with cold water."

"Good idea," said Axel, whose eyes were watering severely.

* * *

Larxene and Axel staggered to the bathroom - the remover had begun to burn Axel's face. Once they had shut themselves in the place, trying desperately to ignore the mutterings from other passengers that they might be off to "join the Mile High Club," Larxene took another handkerchief off Axel and soaked it in freezing water. She pressed it anxiously to his face, a tiny crease appearing between her eyebrows as she frowned. 

"You're so stupid!" she cried as she placed a hand on his face to steady it as her other hand worked furiously to cool him, "I _knew _I shouldn't have let you let me do this!" She noticed that Axel's breathing was getting faster.

"Oh my God, now you can't breathe!" she cried.

"It must have been those fumes!" she continued.

"It's not that," Axel managed to choke out.

"Oh, thank God! I thought I'd killed you! What is it, then?" she asked.

Axel couldn't answer. What was he supposed to say? It's because your hand's on my face? It's because I can feel your breath across my cheeks? It's because you're worried about me?

"It's just…" he paused for a moment - his mouth had just got very dry, "I panicked, is all. Because it hurt. But I'm okay now. Thank you, Larxene." Someday, all this lying was going to get him into trouble. But he couldn't think about that when she smiled at him like only she could.

"Hey," she said softly, "All the marker's off."

She took her wet hand off his face and placed it on her own. Axel gaped at her when he saw the ink run off where her wet fingers touched her scribbled-on cheek.

"Larxene," he said, "look in the mirror."

She did as he said and gasped. She took the wet handkerchief and rubbed her face - the ink ran off. Axel grabbed the pen from his pocket and looked at it. There was a sticker stuck to it, the barcode sticker, and he peeled it off. It had been hiding the prefix "non," so that it _looked _as though the pen said "permanent." Larxene looked furious.

"Axel, do you mean to tell me that I attacked you with nail polish remover, practically burned your face off and scared myself senseless for NO REASON?!" she screeched.

"Wait, Larxene, calm down…" Axel began, holding his hands up defensively.

And everything was back to normal.

* * *

Axel had survived the bathroom incident, and the two were now sitting back in their seats. Larxene was sitting flicking through a magazine that had been there when she sat down. Axel couldn't understand why she would be interested in it – it was a magazine for aspiring interior designers, as far as he could see. Wait, maybe she really wanted to be an interior designer, and the job as Deputy Head was just her day job while she finished interior design school or something! Then maybe she would leave her job… It was odd, really, as that thought should fill him with joy, and yet it filled him with a sense of despair. He tried to imagine some stuffy old man taking over her job. He certainly wouldn't want to have long conversations on schizophrenic klutzes, or come to work singing Pussy Cat Dolls, and all rumors of an affair would stop (as an affair between them would, at least on Axel's part, require a major lifestyle change). 

Then he tried to imagine some hot girl taking over, but still he wasn't happy. She wouldn't be able to come up with witty retorts like Larxene could, she wouldn't be able to make him laugh, and she probably wouldn't look as good in a skirt as Larxene did, no matter how hot she was. Even if he did eventually get his longed-for secretary, he knew that he still wouldn't be happy.

Then it hit him like a ton of bricks – if Larxene left her job, he would MISS her.

"Larxene why are you reading that magazine it's for interior designers but you're not one of those do you want to be and are you going to leave your current job to be one I hope not 'cos I'd miss you," Axel said all in one breath to the girl sitting next to him.

(Sorry if that bit was hard to understand due to lack of punctuation, I'll put a punctuated version here for anyone who was confused. "Larxene, why are you reading that magazine? It's for interior designers, but you're not one of those. Do you want to be? Are you going to leave your current job to be one? I hope not, 'cos I'd miss you.')

Larxene gave him a bemused look.

"I didn't understand that, Axel, I'm sorry. All I heard was 'interior designer' and 'miss you,'" Larxene said, looking confused. Axel took a deep breath.

"I asked you why you were reading that magazine because it's for interior designers and you're not one. Then I asked if you wanted to be one and I was wondering if you were going to quit your current job to be one." Larxene still looked confused.

"But you said something about missing someone or something."

Axel swore mentally. He had been hoping she wouldn't pick up on that! He gritted his teeth.

"I said I hoped you weren't going to leave your job because if you did, I… I would… I would miss you," he gulped and his voice wavered on the last two words. He was looking at her, right into her eyes. She let out her breath on a shaky "Oh."

"I'm sure you'd get over me if my replacement was hot enough," Larxene said with a smile.

"No, I wouldn't," Axel smiled a little smile of wonderment, as if he couldn't quite believe it himself, "You see, I…I…I think you're good at your job!"

He finished in a rush and resisted the urge to clap his hands over his mouth, but was powerless to stop the flush that was coloring his face. Larxene's mouth formed in a circle of surprise, but then it softened into a gentle smile and her eyes shone.

"I'm glad," she said softly. Axel felt like he could burst for some reason.

"There's no reason to worry, though," Larxene continued, "I have no intention of becoming an interior designer – I just picked up the magazine because it was here, and it had some tips for decorating homes, which I thought might be useful for Marluxia and my house."

Axel was mildly annoyed at the fact that Larxene hadn't told him this before he got all mushy, but he was still glad that Larxene was going to stay at her job. With him. Someday he was going to examine the reason why that made him so happy. Someday.

"Well, to coin a phrase, I'm glad!"

* * *

"Please fasten your seatbelts, we are preparing to land…" 

Axel opened his eyes groggily at the loud voice. For a few moments, everything was fuzzy as his eyes adjusted, then he realised what was happening. He contemplated waking Larxene, but then decided he liked her better when she was asleep and there wasn't really any need to wake her, anyway.

He reached over and attempted to buckle her seatbelt himself. He was a few moments into the task when he realised that had been a bad idea. He blushed furiously as he felt down the side of her seat, his hands brushing her jeans-clad thighs. He had just been about to give up when Larxene opened her eyes and smiled sleepily. Then her eyes widened and she yelled:

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, PERVERT?!"

Everyone on the plane turned to look at them, and Axel wished for nothing more than to sink right through the floor.

"Wait, Larxene, I can explain! It's not what it looks like…" Axel said quickly, his eyes wide as he realised just how the situation must have looked to Larxene.

"It had better not be what it looks like!" Larxene hissed angrily.

"You see, I –" Axel began, but an air steward had just come over.

"Are you okay, Miss?" he asked, shooting Axel a thoroughly suspicious look.

"Yes, I'm fine," Larxene said, much to Axel's amazement and relief, "I was just having a nightmare, that's all." The air steward looked slightly unconvinced.

"Well, if you need any assistance…" he said.

"You'll be the first to know," Larxene said, shooting him one of her best smiles. Axel fumed. The air steward nodded, still looking slightly doubtful. Larxene called "Thank you!" after him as he went. He turned back to her and smiled before walking right the way back to the front.

"Now," said Larxene menacingly as she turned to Axel, "You have got some explaining to do."

"So have you!" said Axel immediately. Larxene looked confused and annoyed at the same time.

"I BEG your PARDON?!" she half-screeched. Axel looked around wildly.

"Shut up, or you'll bring lover-boy back here!" Axel hissed. Immediately his eyes widened and, this time, his hands succeeded in clamping over his mouth. Oh double crap. He hadn't meant to say that. Larxene's forehead creased.

"You think I'm… You thought I was FLIRTING with him?" she asked, sounding incredulous. Then she seemed to realise something, for she smiled.

"You're jealous, aren't you?"

Her tone was teasing and Axel knew she expected him to roll his eyes and tell her to stop being ludicrous. But…

"Maybe I am."

Larxene looked as though she'd been shot. Her eyes widened so much Axel feared they'd fall right out of her eye sockets, and her breath was expelled with a quick, sharp noise.

Axel hadn't meant to say that either. Good Lord, what was WRONG with him? It seemed like someone else was talking through his mouth today. Things he had never, ever wanted to say were tumbling out of his mouth. Then a little voice in his head said something unsettling.

_"But you did think all those things, didn't you? Perhaps that's what it really is, perhaps you really ARE jealous, perhaps you're –"_

Axel shut that little voice down as quickly as possible. That was all just so silly, and not true at all! Then he realised that nobody had spoken in quite a while, so he burst out laughing.

"You should have seen your expression!" he exclaimed, clutching his stomach and howling with laughter. Larxene blinked, obviously surprised. Then she caught on.

"Was it convincing?" she asked suddenly.

"Was it CONVINCING?! It was amazing!" Axel said, wiping a tear from one of his eyes.

"Yeah, you see, I was just playing along," Larxene said with a shrug. Axel forced himself to keep laughing. So she thought the idea of him being jealous of her was ridiculous? And how did she know that he wasn't being serious? He could have had his heart broken… If he was in love with her, that is.

"You should… You should join an amateur dramatics society," said Axel though the hiccups that accompanied all the fake laughing he had done.

"I'll think about it," said Larxene, but her voice was decidedly frosty.

She couldn't believe that they had been getting on so well less than an hour ago. Now Axel was back to his old self, and they'd probably get on each other's nerves all convention.

* * *

"We are now approaching the runway at Narita Airport, Tokyo, where it's 7:30 A.M. local time. Thank you for flying with Premier Airlines and we hope you will have a nice day." 

The cool, feminine voice sounded again, marking the end of the flight. Larxene watched out of the window as the plane came in to land neatly on the runway. The sun was shining weakly and there was a bite of a crisp morning in the air as she and Axel exited the plane. On their way down the steps leading out of the aircraft, a Premier Airlines employee asked them politely if they'd had a nice flight.

Both of them muttered a sarcastic, "Yes, great," through gritted teeth. Things were not going to be pleasant...

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Taking a turn for the worst, eh? I didn't want things to be too peachy as of yet. Don't worry, though, there will be some rather major fluff soon. I'll just keep you waiting as to when! Hope you liked. Drop a review for the brain-pooped author haha. 


	10. Bitter Suite

**Chapter 10: Bitter Suite**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: My thanks to all you reviewers. I got six reviews for the last chapter! Nightshroud is happy! 

**Axel:** Why are you talking in the third person?

**Nightshroud:** Silence before I make you get Larxene pregnant for REAL.

**Axel:** oO

**Larxene**: If you even dare...

**Nightshroud:** Hehe joking! Anyway, I had to get the help of another friend with this chapter. She had to write the description of the hotel room for me, since I'm...well a guy haha. I don't do that stuff well. Confused? Ah, you'll see! Anyway, here you are.

* * *

After they had claimed their luggage, Axel and Larxene looked for a way to exit the airport. 

"We have to go through to the Arrivals' Lounge," Axel said, "Mansex said that the company had arranged for a cab driver to meet us there. He'll probably be holding a sign saying 'Axel and Larxene' or 'Organization XIII employees' or 'The people that Xemnas guy sent me to pick up' or…"

"Alright, alright! I get the idea!" Larxene interrupted before he could muse even further. "And, Mansex?"

"A little nickname the employees have for Xemnas," he said with a grin. She tried to stifle a laugh.

"I see."

They wheeled their suitcases through the glass double doors and spotted their cab driver, holding up a sign for the "Organization employees." The cab driver didn't seem like the talkative type, so they rode the rest of the way in silence to the hotel, a pretty fancy looking one at that.

"Hello," a plump, blonde receptionist addressed them as she looked up from her computer, "How may I help you?"

"Larxene and Axel," Larxene said politely, "I believe we were booked in for two rooms here by Organization XIII?"

The receptionist typed something into her computer, then frowned.

"No, there's no recording of any booking," she said, looking confused.

"But our company said they booked us two rooms…There must be some mistake," Larxene said, looking confused herself. The receptionist looked suddenly enlightened.

"I think I know what might have happened," she said, frowning as she re-adjusted her glasses, "a trainee might have taken the booking… They're all useless, the lot of them. Let's see…"

She typed something else into the computer.

"Well, nothing's come up yet…" she said, then smacked a hand to her forehead, lifting a yellow post-it from her desk, which she appeared to have only just noticed.

"It says here," she said, reading from the small piece of paper, "'Charlotte, make booking for 'Organization', two single rooms'. The trainee who took the call from your employers must have left it here. I'm Charlotte, you see. The trainees don't know how to make bookings…Oh no! I'm so sorry!"

Charlotte began to talk in a rush, her voice sounding slowly realising, then panicked, and her words tripped over themselves. Larxene and Axel blinked.

"Do you have any other vacant rooms?" Larxene asked, ever the sensible and business-like one. It was, Axel thought fondly, what made her such a great deputy head of department.

Charlotte appeared to be unable to speak right at that moment, as she silently typed something into her computer. Then she attempted a weak smile, though she was about to deliver some bad news.

"Just the one room. It's the deluxe honeymoon suite."

"I'm sorry, what?" Larxene said, leaning intently towards Charlotte the receptionist, as if she genuinely hadn't heard the blonde woman's words. Axel had heard well enough though, and now he was trying to stop his mouth from hanging open in disbelief.

"I'm sorry, Miss…What was it? Larxene? I just said that, unfortunately, all we have left is the Deluxe Honeymoon Suite. We'll let you have it half-price, of course, to make up for our blunder," Charlotte said.

"Can I just talk this over with my associate?" Larxene asked Charlotte politely, still managing to keep her head in the midst of a crisis.

"Certainly," Charlotte said graciously, "Take as long as you need."

Larxene smiled, but it was decidedly frosty, and grabbed Axel by the arm, steering him away from the main desk to a point about thirty feet away. Charlotte had returned to typing while she waited for them to reach a decision.

"Well," Larxene hissed, "what do you think we should do?"

"I think we should take it," Axel said simply, a surprising amount of confidence and firmness about his tone.

"What?! Are you crazy?!" Larxene cried.

"Look," she began again after she had taken a few calming breaths, "there's no point in taking the room. The half-price offer is no use because the Organization is footing the bill anyway. I say we call up Xemnas and find another hotel."

"Look, Larxene, I don't know what's wrong with your watch, but mine says it's 8:15 A.M. We don't have _time _to call Xemnas up and find another hotel - there's no telling how long that'll take. We could end up going miles, and Mansex thinks we're staying here - what if they try to contact us here and the hotel tells them we didn't even check-in here? They'll panic and do something stupid like send out a search party. Besides, we have to be at the convention by 9:30 A.M. We need to check in right now, go upstairs, unpack enough to get us through today and have a shower. I'm sorry, Larxene, but we just don't have an alternative. Maybe we can stay the one night here and try to find a different hotel tomorrow," Axel reasoned.

Larxene had to admit that what he said made sense, even if she didn't particularly like it. She sighed heavily and looked reluctantly into Axel's emerald eyes.

"I suppose," she said, sounding weary. Axel grinned, said he knew she'd see it his way and walked back up to Charlotte at the reception desk.

"We'll take it," he said.

* * *

"Oh…my…God…" Larxene said when she and Axel unlocked the door to their room. For a start, the key handle was in the shape of a heart, which fitted into a heart-shaped lock. Larxene was feeling nauseated already. Then, when Axel unlocked the door and they stepped in, she couldn't believe it. The room was utterly _gorgeous _- at least, it would have been if she had been here with a boyfriend or something. 

White voile curtains floated at the patio doors which opened out on to a balcony overlooking the hotel's inner courtyard, where there was a fountain. The bed was an enormous king-size four-poster, with white canopies hanging from it. The bedclothes were purple and white, with purple and white fluffy pillows piled at the head of it. Someone, presumably a maid, had scattered the bed with rose petals. The whole room was done in a colour scheme of purple and white, and was fabulously light and airy, with purple and white candles dotted here and there. Larxene sniffed a few of them, and was delighted to find that the white ones smelt of vanilla, while the purple smelled of lavender. There was a T.V. sitting on a white cabinet near the bed, and the floor was polished and wooden. The bathroom, which Larxene hurried to examine, was tiled in purple and white with a white bath, shower, toilet and handbasin, all the basics.

"Wow," Larxene breathed finally as she came back to where Axel was standing with all their bags around him on the floor.

"I know," Axel said, then they looked at each other and began to laugh.

"All this for us," Axel said, shaking his head. Then he said apologetically, "I'm sorry you're here with me and not a boyfriend."

"I'm sorry about that too," she said, a teasing grin flitting around her mouth. Axel rolled his eyes.

"I honestly don't mind," she then said, and the sincerity in her voice took Axel aback for a few seconds. He smiled.

"Good. Because I don't really mind, either," he said, and he was sincere too.

"Let's unpack," Larxene said, and Axel groaned.

"Do we have to?"

* * *

Axel was sitting on the bed about thirty minutes later, waiting for Larxene to come out of the shower so he could go in. Things had been going okay so far. Suddenly, the door to the bathroom opened and Larxene emerged, wrapped in a fluffy white towel, her wet hair loose around her face. Axel couldn't help but look at the creamy white shoulders exposed by the towel and then, at her shapely legs... 

Darn it. He hoped he wasn't staring, but he had a horrible feeling he was.

Larxene felt that there was something vaguely unsettling about coming out from the bathroom to see Axel sitting on the bed, almost as if he were…waiting for her… Her heart skipped a beat when he looked at her, emerald eyes boring into her with a slightly hungry gleam in them. And she couldn't breathe. Nobody moved.

"Well, I'm out now!" Larxene cried chirpily, feeling a compelling need to break the silence. Axel jumped as if snapped out of a trance.

"Oh, so you are! Guess I'll be, um, going in now," Axel said hurriedly, getting up off the bed and going in, not able to close the door fast enough. Both of them breathed a gasp of relief, then Axel slumped against the door and buried his head in his hands. Larxene lay back on the bed and groaned. How could they have _ever _thought that this was a good idea?

* * *

Larxene was dressed and blow-drying her hair when she heard Axel calling her from the bathroom. She turned off her hairdryer and hollered through the door, "What is it?" 

"I need some clean underwear," he said, his voice shaking a little, "Can you throw some in to me?"

Larxene blushed at the thought of handling his underwear.

"You need more than underwear," she called, "You need a full set of clothes. I'm not having you walk around in your underwear."

Axel managed a nervous laugh.

"Oh, yeah," he said, "Silly me. Okay, throw me a suitably boring suit."

Larxene searched through the things that had come out of Axel's suitcase, finally deciding on a pair of ordinary black boxers (picking out Axel's underwear for him was _beyond _weird, she decided) and a navy suit, but she didn't know what shirt and tie to put with it. Then, suddenly, she heard a voice behind her. Right behind her. She jumped and whirled around. And there was Axel, his hair dripping; tall, broad-shouldered, muscular frame clothed in only a towel wrapped around his waist. She had a horrible feeling she was staring. She prayed her mouth wasn't open, and that she wasn't drooling. He was looking at her with an eyebrow raised.

"You were taking a long time, so I thought I'd come see if you were okay. I thought maybe you'd forgotten," he said, and Larxene was sure he was blushing a little.

_"Say something, anything!"_ Larxene prompted herself desperately.

"Ghurk," she said intelligently. Axel looked confused, and a little panicked. Larxene resisted the urge to bang her head on something.

"I meant 'shirt'," she explained as she shook her head vigorously, "I couldn't decide on a shirt and tie to go with this suit. That's what took me so long."

"Well done, Larxene!" She thought sarcastically,_ "You've learned how to act like a regular human being! Maybe someday you'll realise you're not a teenager anymore, and therefore cannot stare like an idiot at extremely hot, wet, towel-clad guys!_" 

"Hot?" she said to herself, sounding bewildered. Where had that come from?

"I beg your pardon?" Axel asked.

"I said, 'Isn't it awfully hot in here?'" Larxene tried to cover up, tugging at the collar of her blouse.

"Not really," Axel said.

"Must be just me then," Larxene muttered as Axel selected an ordinary white shirt and navy tie (which, Larxene reflected, made perfect sense, and made her wonder why she hadn't thought of it) and went back to the bathroom to dress.

* * *

It was approximately thirty minutes later that the two were standing outside the building where they were having the meeting, immaculately dressed, although Axel absolutely could _not _convince his hair to behave, despite the combined efforts of both himself and Larxene, who was believed to an expert when it came to hair, though Axel thought her antennae were proof against this, though he dare not say it. Larxene had told him that it looked good anyway, and it broke up the stuffiness of his ultra-boring suit. It helped him look more like a twenty-year-old and less like a thirty-year-old. Besides, the rumpled look was "in" this season, according to Larxene, and she read all those fashion magazines, so she would know. Axel couldn't decide if she was just being nice today, or if she was just trying to convince herself that it didn't matter that she couldn't fix it. 

In any case they stood in front of the doors, staring at them.

"Ready to be bored out of our minds?" Axel asked her. Larxene nodded and they walked through the doors, feeling a little nervous.

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Enjoy it? Haha what suitably awkward things will happen while Axel and Larxene share a honeymoon suite? You'll just have to wait and see! I loved the towel stuff. It's always awkward and fluffy in these kinds of stories haha. Well hope you loved it. Now leave a nice review for me! 8D 


	11. Axel the Uncontrollable Flirt

**Chapter 11: Axel the Uncontrollable Flirt**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: I once again thank all my faithful reviewers! 8D Haha everyone loved the suite thing. I can assure that it will become more and more...interesting. Lol anyway, that is a good point, Mr. Fipp. Well since KH originated in Japan, I've decided to make where they work/live in Japan. So no, there won't be a language barrier. Anyway, I'm sure you want me to get out fo the way, so here you are. Enjoy!

* * *

Larxene and Axel marched into the building, looking a million times more confident than they felt. A woman was seated at a desk in the reception hall, surveying them snootily over black-rimmed glasses. She looked quite like Charlotte, except Charlotte was friendly and well-meaning, and this woman looked neither. 

"May I help you?" the woman asked in a voice, which was, of course, extremely posh. And it also sounded extremely fake.

_"How on earth can she be bothered to keep it up?" Larxene_ wondered, as she strapped on her most charming, business-like smile. She wondered why this woman was scowling at them as if they were something nasty she had found on the bottom of her shoe (no doubt a Prada creation, or something similarly expensive). It wasn't if they had done anything offensive, and they were dressed impeccably. It wasn't as if they were tramps clothed in rags. Larxene had opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it, surprised, when Axel beat her to the desk and began smiling at the receptionist.

"Hello, mademoiselle," Axel said in a flirty manner as he leaned on the desk, and Larxene blinked. The woman was smiling and extremely flushed now. Then Larxene realised that the receptionist had been glaring only at Larxene, presumably because Larxene was with Axel. Larxene withheld a giggle. The woman obviously liked the look of Axel. It was rather intelligent of him to indulge her - clearly the guy had more brains than she, Larxene, gave him credit for.

"It's 'madam', actually," she said, but she was still smiling and flushed, seemingly not the least bit offended. Axel did a credible imitation of surprise.

"Really?" he asked, blinking, "But aren't you a little young to be married? You don't look a day over sixteen!"

The receptionist actually _giggled _at this point. Larxene resisted the urge to vomit, but the other woman seemed to be lapping it up.

"Oh dear!" Axel exclaimed as he checked his watch, "I fear we may be late for our convention so, unfortunately, I can no longer stand and chat." The woman looked disappointed.

"I don't suppose you could tell me and my -" Axel began.

"Girlfriend," Larxene interrupted, smiling in a manner that said clearly 'Back off, skank' as she stepped to become level with Axel.

Axel looked surprised for a moment, then smiled and wrapped his arm around Larxene's waist, causing her eyes to widen. She managed to stop herself sending him a bewildered look, as she knew how suspicious that would appear.

"Girlfriend," he continued without missing a beat, and Larxene was impressed, "where the annual East Japan Advertising Convention is taking place?"

The woman looked furious, then spat, "Conference Room D. Go to the fourth floor, and when you step out of the elevator, take the first corridor to your right. You will eventually see a sign for 'Conference Room D'."

Axel smiled at her, and, with his arm still tightly wound around Larxene, they walked towards the elevator. Larxene could feel the receptionist's eyes on her the whole way.

"You know," Larxene said after they were inside, "you can let go of me now."

"I know," he said, smiling slightly although not looking at her, but pulling her even closer to him. Larxene would have choked on her own saliva, had it not been such an unladylike and inappropriate action for the moment.

"After all, if I have you this close, then you need never be jealous of married receptionists," he said slyly, finally looking at her, an eyebrow arched. Larxene looked furious, and tried to wriggle away from him, but he only held onto her more tightly.

"No," he said, "you're not getting away. You fit well in my arms. Besides, you like it, I can tell." Larxene now looked double furious.

"I do not!" she cried, even though she did. A little. Not because it was Axel, but just because it was comfortable, and warm, and she hadn't been held by a man in a long time…

"And I was not jealous!" she continued, "I just didn't think it would reflect well on the company if you began an affair with a married woman while on a business trip!"

"You know I was only playing around with her," Axel said teasingly as Larxene looked away from him, her arms crossed over her chest.

"Yes, well I didn't think that was fair either!" Larxene exclaimed, turning sharply to look accusingly at him.

"She was genuinely interested in you!" she said, making it sound as though it was his fault. He blinked, surprised.

"Well, I wasn't doing anything wrong, I mean, it wasn't as if I was going to try to seduce her, or anything. And if she had responded any more seriously than she did, then I would have backed off. You know I would. But she was just messing with me, too," he reasoned, looking a little hurt that Larxene would think he would go after a married woman.

"I just figured, since she was glaring at you, that I would handle getting the information from her. Besides, she should see that you are the only woman I need," he said, actually looking down quite _fondly_ at her.

"But you're always flirting! With me, that receptionist, with women at work… even Charlotte a little this morning while I was on the phone for the cab! You take it so lightly, and you don't mean it!" she cried.

"Not," she added quickly when she correctly interpreted the look Axel was shooting her, "that I wish you were being serious when you flirt with me, or anything."

_"Except that I do, a little, but I don't know why," _Larxene thought suddenly, then immediately wondered where the thought had come from.

"You see," Axel said, smiling slightly, "having to deal with one slightly insane woman, is _more _than enough. I should never need another woman, if I have you." Larxene sighed, exhausted.

"You," she began, pausing dramatically, "are _impossible_." Axel grinned infuriatingly.

"Thank you."

* * *

Larxene willed her head not to fall off her hand and crash onto the (rather nice) conference table she was sitting at. When she and Axel had got off the elevator (rather amazingly, they both had all limbs intact) and found Conference Room D, they had been handed a timetable by a rather heavy-set and bored-looking woman. On it, underneath their names, was a list of everything they would be required at over the next two days. Larxene quickly discovered that Xemnas had lied - this wasn't so much a convention as two days of abject boredom and seemingly never-ending meetings and discussions.

When the duo had not been required at any meeting, they had sat in the conference center's café, drinking endless cups of a vile liquid that the café staff claimed was coffee. In Larxene's case, she was drinking them in a desperate attempt to try and stay awake. Axel had seemed to drink it simply to keep her company, but he was now peppier than she had ever seen him. Unfortunately, no amount of coffee could remedy the sleep-inducing properties of dull discussions in Larxene's opinion. Oh well, it was worth a try.

As far as Larxene could grasp, the convention was made up of advertising executives from all over Japan. The Advertising Board of Japan was laying down some new rules and regulations, and there were lots of people discussing them. The Head of the Advertising Board was here, along with many people from the Board. The purpose of these two days was to make sure all the advertisers in Japan were happy with the new regulations. There were conventions being held all over the country, it just happened that Larxene and Axel were at the Tokyo one.

Larxene glanced over at Axel who was arguing, rather passionately (of course, that may have just been all that coffee) about something.

_"How can he summon the strength to care so much about something so dull?" _Larxene wondered as she watched him, his emerald eyes ablaze as he objected. Larxene herself was idly pondering on how Marluxia was doing at home and how he would react to what Larxene would inevitably blab about her and Axel.

She glanced at her watch quickly, in such a way that (hopefully) nobody noticed. It was 9:00 P.M., and Axel and herself had been here almost twelve _hours._ This was ridiculous.

Suddenly the Head of the Board stood up, and Larxene blinked and jolted suddenly out of her stupor when the middle-aged man began to speak.

"Okay," he said," enough for today. You can all come back tomorrow."

And he left, just like that, apparently not caring about the angry muttering that was going on among the people he had left behind. Larxene supposed that that was the ultimate sign of power - being so central to something important and being able to do whatever you wanted without anyone saying a word.

Larxene looked over at Axel. He was rubbing his forehead with his eyes closed. He looked awfully flushed, and Larxene began to wonder if he was okay. However, he then stopped to look up at her and smile, and the moment passed.

* * *

They were standing on the street outside the conference centre and Larxene had just phoned a cab to come and pick them up. The night was dark, but not gloomy - it was much more piercing than that. Gloom was heavy and suffocating, but this night was sharp and cold, the wind biting at any exposed skin and leaking through their clothes to chill them to the bone.

Larxene shivered and stamped her feet, blowing on her hands which were numb with cold. Axel had been silent the past few minutes, but he smiled when he saw her do that.

"That's not how to warm up your hands," he chided softly, and he took her hands in his own. Larxene blushed, and felt warmer instantly, but although a rush of blood was warming, Larxene was fairly certain that wasn't what he meant. She marvelled at how extraordinarily warm his hands were. He rubbed his together gently against her own, and she had to admit that his way of warming hands was much more effective. But then, it stuck her that Axel's hands were almost _too _warm. She fixed him with a suspicious look.

"Why are your hands so warm? You _are_ okay, aren't you?" she asked.

Axe; was saved from answering as the cab driver chose that moment to pull up and honk loudly. Axel opened the door for Larxene without thinking, earning himself a shocked look from Larxene.

"Do you want me to take you back to your hotel, or somewhere else?" the driver asked as he glanced at his rear-view mirror.

"We could go out for dinner," Axel suggested, turning in his seat to face Larxene.

"We could," Larxene mused, sounding unconvinced, "but not dressed like this! And I really don't want to go back to the hotel and get dressed for dinner. I'm too hungry to wait."

"Then we'll go somewhere not nice," Axel suggested, "like McDonalds, or something."

"That," Larxene said with a tired smile, "is probably the _best_ idea I've heard all day."

"So, the nearest McDonalds, then?" he asked.

* * *

**Nightshroud:** More flirting with Axel and Larxene hehe. Sorry if I'm not moving things quite as quickly as you had hoped, but fear not. I will have something major happen soon. Just be patient! 8D Now review and show me the love! 


	12. Fluff and Mc Flurries

**Chapter 12: Fluff and Mc Flurries**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: Haha I'm going to bash on Mc Donalds in here slightly. Sorry but all the ones in Easton (where I live) are greasy dumps, therefore explaining my detesting of them. Anyway, I love writing Larxels, cuz I just love Larxel lovers! They're such good reviewers. 8D Thanks to all of you. 

Mr. Fipp- Yes, you are slightly paranoid, but that is reasonable, since I really was laughing haha. And yes, I think business meetings are the most boring things ever.

Vampyric Ninja- Well thank you! 8D It's so nice to hear you say so, and I _do_ like being showered with love hehe.

That-One-Idiot- No problem, it's the thought that counts. Hehe. Mmm but now I want cookies...Haha yes, that would explain it, wouldn't it? Haha that made me laugh really hard. Thanks!

BlueFox of the Moon- Yay cookies and candy! Err...thanks for the review! Most appreciated.

Requiem of the Nobodies- I'm so glad you love it! Ah yes, I used to only be allowed on weekends too. I hope you get the chance to read.

FredandGeorgetwinsoftheC.O.- Yes, who doesn't love the towel thing, as overused as it is? A new cackle! Just for me? I'm flattered. 8D Thanks for the review. It's nice to know that I'm doing a good job.

* * *

"I'll come back and pick you up if you give me a call," the cab driver said as she dropped Larxene and Axel off at the McDonalds' restaurant closest to them. 

"Thank you so much. You have no idea how grateful we are for all you do for us," Larxene said as she closed the car door.

"Oh, that's no problem. You're nice people," he said, and drove away.

* * *

"Now, what shall it be, Miss Larxene?" Axel asked in a teasingly posh voice as they joined the small line at the counter, "Perhaps a chicken sandwich, or a cheeseburger?" Larxene smiled. 

"A salad, actually," she said. Axel made a face.

"A salad? Oh well, it's your choice. I don't know anyone who goes to McDonald's to eat a salad, but then again, you are odd, aren't you?" Larxene smiled sweetly and stepped on his toe.

"_What _was that, Axel dearest?"

"Nothing!" Axel choked out as she ground her heel into his foot.

* * *

A few minutes later Larxene and Axel were seated at a (admittedly not very clean) table. Axel had ordered an enormous burger, and Larxene had looked at him sternly for it. 

"What?" he had said, "I'm a big guy!"

Larxene didn't think he was particularly tall, though he was almost a head taller than her.

Now Axel was happily eating his burger while Larxene was just as happily eating her salad, although she stole a fry when he wasn't looking, just to have a little taste.

"We certainly do look a little out of place here, don't we?" Larxene asked as she looked around.

The place was painted in bright colours, which somehow looked cheap under the bright lighting. A lot of the tables weren't very clean, as most of the staff were teenagers who seemed either to be fighting sleep or else more interested in standing around and talking.

There was a group of giggling teenage girls at a table in the corner, all dressed up and caked in make-up. Larxene supposed they were going to, or had just left, a party.

At another table, there was another girl, maybe Larxene and Axel's age. She seemed to be a student, as she was trying to read Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' while eating some fries. She wasn't doing too well, as she kept missing her mouth with her food.

Then, the last occupant of the restaurant was a man who looked very tired (Larxene thought he probably worked nights) and this was his dinner.

Larxene and Axel, in their smart work clothes, certainly did look out of place.

Axel, in answer to her question, sneezed loudly. Larxene blinked at him as he dug in his pocket for a tissue and hurriedly blew his nose.

"Bless you," Larxene said, looking concerned. "Are you okay?"Axel nodded firmly and smiled.

"How about we have McFlurries now?" he asked, and Larxene was surprised to note that they had both finished eating without her realising it.

"Oh no, I couldn't," Larxene said, shaking her head. Axel laughed.

"You look so scared at the idea of eating one! Haven't you ever tasted them?" he asked. Larxene shook her head.

"Definitely not. I don't even want to _know _what's in them. And don't get me started on what the calorie count must be…" she said until Axel cut her off.

"Larxene dear, you have to learn to live a little," he said, and marched up to the counter before Larxene could stop him.

"Wait!" she called, but he didn't even turn around. Sighing, she slumped down in her seat and resigned herself to her fate - being force-fed ice-cream.

* * *

Axel returned a few minutes later holding only one McFlurry… and two spoons. Larxene raised an eyebrow. 

"I thought that if I brought two over, you'd have a heart attack. So we can share one," he said as he sat down and pulled the plastic lid off the ice-cream. Larxene looked a little wary.

"Oh, come on, Larxene! A half of one just this once isn't going to kill you!" he said as he handed her a spoon.

That wasn't what she was wary about. It was just that, now they were sharing ice-cream, it felt like a…a… date.

Axel dipped his spoon in and put a mouthful into his mouth. He grimaced for a moment.

"Cold," he muttered by way of explanation. Then he swallowed.

"Now you," he said encouragingly to Larxene, as if she were a three-year-old. Larxene hesitated, her spoon poised over the container as she bit her lip.

"Now, Larxene," he said sternly, "you put some of that into your mouth or I will do it for you." Larxene spluttered.

"You mean _feed me_?" she asked.

"Yes," Axel said, sounding completely serious, "in front of all these people, I will force-feed you ice-cream. Now there's something I never thought I'd have to do - force-feed someone ice-cream." He looked amazed.

"Just shows that you really are strange," he said slyly. Larxene colored immediately.

"I am not strange!" she exclaimed, and to prove her point, she crammed a large spoonful of ice-cream into her mouth. She made the same face as Axel had before.

"Cold?" he asked. She nodded, then swallowed. And promptly ate another spoonful.

"Is it nice?" Axel asked wickedly. Larxene blushed.

"Maybe a little," she admitted.

* * *

They were on their third shared McFlurry twenty minutes later. 

"It's just cold liquid sugar," Larxene said as she spooned some into her mouth.

"Then why are you eating it?" Axel asked, grinning, as he ate another spoonful.

"It turns out cold liquid sugar tastes rather nice," she said.

Axel sneezed again. Larxene wasn't convinced that he was okay at all, but decided not to press the matter.

A little while later, when the third ice-cream was almost finished, Axel looked at Larxene and she giggled. Axel smiled automatically.

"What?" he asked.

"Do this," she instructed, and licked her lips. Axel stared at her and didn't move a muscle as he watched her moist pink tongue slide over her lips. When he didn't move, Larxene coughed.

"Axel, lick your lips. They're all white," she said, and Axel jumped.

"Why don't you come over and lick them for me?"

Axe; blinked and tried very hard not to blush. Why did the voice in his head always say stupid and/or perverted things?

"Axel, your lips," Larxene prompted again. Still Axel didn't move. He looked dazed, and again Larxene had to wonder if he was feeling okay.

She sighed and looked around the table for a napkin. When one didn't turn up, she shrugged and wiped his lips with her finger. Axel stared up at her, stunned at what she was doing. When she pulled away, her gaze was drawn to his lips, now pinker and swollen where she had rubbed them…

"Well," said the annoying voice in Larxene's head, "_that was smart, wasn't it? Draw your attention to his lips. And now you're wondering whether they taste of ice-cream, aren't you?"_

"I am not," Larxene muttered.

"Sorry?" Axel asked. Larxene shook her head.

"Nothing," she said.

Then suddenly, she pressed the back of her hand to his forehead and frowned.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed. "You have a fever!"

"I do not," Axel said stubbornly, then, right on cue, he gave his loudest sneeze yet.

"You're sick!" Larxene cried, almost triumphantly.

"I'm _not_!" Axel insisted, before he began to cough. Larxene looked skeptical.

"Okay, so maybe I don't feel so good…" he admitted when the coughing fit subsided. His eyes were watering, he was flushed and he gave a loud sniff.

"You look terrible," Larxene said.

"Thanks," he replied dryly.

"I knew you were too warm earlier," Larxene said, as if he hadn't spoken.

"Why didn't you say something?" she asked, sounding annoyed. Axel sighed heavily.

"I hate being sick," he admitted, "it makes me feel useless."

"Well, pretending you're not sick is hardly going to make you better," Larxene pointed out.

She pulled her cell from her pocket and dialled the cab man's number. Axel sat silently while Larxene talked to him, then hung up.

"She's coming now. Now, what you need is a cup of tea and some sleep. You can stay in bed tomorrow, and I'll go to the conferences myself," Larxene said firmly. Axel opened his mouth to object, but Larxene shook her head.

"Not a word from you. You are going to play the meek little patient, Axel, and do what I say, because you need to get well for our flight home," Larxene said.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Axel asked, sounding disgusted. Larxene only grinned.

"I used to love playing nurse to sick people when I was younger. Whenever my father or big brother got sick, I would order them off to bed and make endless cups of tea and bowls of soup," Larxene said, smiling reminiscently.

"Plus," she added, "I get to boss you around."

"I have a feeling," Axel said with a sigh, "that that is the part you're really enjoying."

* * *

"Now," Larxene said when she and Axel had made it back to their hotel room, "you get changed into your pajamas, and I'll go downstairs and get you a cup of tea from the kitchens. They'll get you something twenty-four hours a day, which is good." Axel looked confused. 

"But I didn't bring any pajamas," he said, "I sleep in the nude." Larxene's mouth fell open.

"Really?!" she squeaked. Axel grinned.

"Only when it's warm," he said, shrugging. Then he saw Larxene's astonished face and he laughed.

"I was just kidding!" he assured her.

"The expression on your face…" he said, laughing. Larxene made a grumpy face at having been made fun of yet again.

"Just change into _something_," Larxene instructed as she left, closing the door behind her.

"I wonder," Axel muttered to himself as he dug through his suitcase for his night-clothes, "if she would find it funny if, when she came back, I was wearing something of hers?"

He thought for a moment.

"Probably not," he decided.

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Sorry if it ends a little suddenly, but my mom needs to get on the computer. Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. And next chapter, they're going to be sleeping...Hehe wonder how that's going to work out, eh? You'll see! Leave me lot's of nice reviews, k? 8D 


	13. Seduction in Action

**Chapter 13: Seduction in Action**

* * *

**Nightshroud**: Seven reviewers for last chapter. Yay! Haha yes Vampyric Ninja, I don't like Mc Donalds much. I like Burger King better. 8D Oh, Lord Nightshroud. Hehe I like that! Thank you, Requiem of the Nobodies. And yes, Mr. Fipp, for reasons out of my reach, the best humor (at least in my opinion) is sexual innuendos. Ooh brownies! _catches _Yum. : ) Thank you all for your support. I'm so glad you like! Well, here's the next one.

* * *

When Larxene returned to their hotel room carrying a steaming Styrofoam cup of tea, Axel had obediently changed into his pajamas, which seemed to consist of a black t-shirt emblazoned with the red, flaming words 'Burn, Baby, Burn.' 

As he was in bed, propped up by the many pillows, Larxene couldn't see what he had on his bottom half. She smacked herself on the forehead when she realised that hadn't sounded right, even in her head. Axel looked worried, and watching her questioningly.

"Er… Just a therapy thing I'm trying out. It's quite new, but it's really popular in Hollywood," she explained hastily, smiling in what she hoped was a reassuring fashion before smacking herself on the forehead again to prove her point. She had to bite down on her tongue to stop herself from saying 'ouch!' She hadn't meant to hit herself quite so hard. Axel must have been at least partially convinced since he took the tea gratefully and downed half of it in one gulp before smiling contentedly.

"I feel a little warmer now," he said, as the tea pooled into a hot puddle in his stomach. Larxene looked worried.

"Why, were you cold before?" she asked.

"Just a little," he replied. There was silence for a few moments.

"But I feel much better now, thank you," he said gratefully. Larxene blushed a little.

"You should go to sleep," she said softly, "I'm fairly certain it's nothing worse than a cold, so it shouldn't be necessary for you to see a doctor. Plenty of rest, fluids and hot soup and such."

"Thank you for the expert… diagnosis, Nurse Larxene," he said sleepily, pausing to yawn in the middle. Then he blinked.

"Oh, wait, I've just realised something. I can't sleep in the bed - you need to," he said, sitting bolt upright in bed again before sneezing loudly then searching for a tissue. Larxene looked confused.

"No," she said, "I think you'll find that _you _need to, Axel. I'll sleep on the…floor…"

At that, the two of them looked down at the hard, probably cold wooden floor. And then back at each other. And then back at the floor again. Larxene had to work hard not to look horrified at the prospect. Axel looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

"You," he said, "are going to sleep _there_? No way. _You _take the bed. I'm not so sick that I can be so rude as to make you sleep there." Larxene smirked.

"Well now, Axel can be a gentleman. Who would have thought that?" Now it was Axel's turn to blush.

"I'll just take a sheet off the bed and wrap it around me. I'll be fine," she continued, and she sounded as if she was trying to convince herself as much as she was trying to convince Axel.

"No, you won't," Axel said, voicing the thoughts Larxene had in her head, "the sheet on this bed is paper-thin. It won't keep you warm _or _protect you from the hard floor. Now stop being silly and sleep in the damn bed!"

Really, Larxene thought, if she didn't know the guy, she'd find this all rather charming.

"Don't you think," she said, sighing, "that I would be a pretty lousy nurse if I let my patient lie on the floor?"

Larxene wasn't one to fall for a little charm, and she wasn't going to give up on this easily.

"Fine then," Axel said, getting out of the bed. Larxene had the surprise of seeing that all he had on his bottom half was a pair of boxer shorts. She tried not to look too flustered. He re-arranged the duvet, flattening it down. Then he stopped and looked at her.

"I am going to go to the bathroom, and when I come back, I want to see you changed and in this bed!" he exclaimed. He winced as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

"And I don't mean that how it sounds," he said. Larxene would have giggled at his expression, had Axel not been so serious. Still, she felt she had to open her mouth to object.

"Don't say a word!" Axel said quickly, "I don't want to hear any objections!"

When Larxene managed to say "but," Axel charged over and covered her mouth with his hand.

"If it bothers you so much," he said, trying to ignore the feeling of Larxene's breath against his hand, "you can sleep underthe covers, and I'll sleep on top of them. That way nobodygets the floor. Okay?"

Larxene shook her head and Axel yelled a swear in exasperation as he got up.

"I have never met such an infuriating woman!" he ranted. Larxene sat silently and raised her hand.

"What? What is it?" he asked, more fiercely than he had originally intended.

"I just wanted to say that I would really prefer it if I slept on top of the covers, and you slept under them," she said.

"Oh." Axel looked sheepish at having put on such an outburst. Larxene giggled as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Well, I'm going to the bathroom," he said as he walked over to it.

* * *

He had only been in there a few minutes when he heard a pitiful wail of "Axel!" 

He sighed heavily and shook his head. Nothing with that woman was ever simple.

"What?" he called from the bathroom, already fearing the worst.

"We're going to have to go buy pajamas!" Larxene cried as she looked at the garment in her hands with dismay.

"We're _what_?!" Axel yelled back, quite certain that he had misheard her.

"Come and see!" she called, and Axel walked out of the bathroom. He saw her predicament at once, and began to laugh.

"It's not funny!" Larxene cried. "Marluxia packed my nightwear for me while I took a bathroom break," she explained, still refusing to see the funny side as she and Axel looked at the items that were causing Larxene so much distress.

"I have a feeling he designed them, and wanted me to try them out," Larxene continued, looking at the garments with a miserable and annoyed expression.

"Tell her," Axel said, smirking mischievously, "I think they're cute."

"Don't you start with me!" Larxene said, but by this time the corners of her mouth were lifting slightly.

"You know as well as I do that these…aren't quite the sort of thing I…" Larxene tried to say as she continued to look at them.

They were three night-dresses, one in scarlet, one in blue, and one in black. They were all made of silk, as far as Larxene could tell (but she couldn't be sure, as Marluxia was the fabric expert of the two of them).

They all were low-cut and slinky. The black one would have come to her ankles, the scarlet one to just below her knees, and the blue one was another ankle-length. The two ankle-length ones had spaghetti straps, a long slit up one of the sides and the backs in them were cut out with ribbons that would criss-cross over her back to hold the night-dresses together. The scarlet one had scarlet lace around the hem, and was essentially strapless, except it had two scarlet ribbons that could be tied around the neck to make it a halter night-dress. There was a design of flowers embroidered on it.

"Also tell him," Axel said huskily into her ear, "that although I tried, I couldn't get you to wear one for me."

Larxene flushed the exact shade of the scarlet one at that comment. Suddenly she could see herself dressed in one of them, the black one. Axel was kissing her, then slowly, agonisingly slowly, pulling the whole thing right off over her head…

She choked on her own saliva. What the hell?

"So… So that you could take a picture of me then photocopy it and put copies up all over work, right?" she said, her voice wobbling.

"No," Axel murmured in that same irresistibly husky, sexy voice, "just so I could see you in it. The blue one would look good on you, because it would bring out your eyes."

He reached out and stroked the garment before picking it up and holding it beside her eyes.

"Yes, it would suit you…Not quite a perfect match, but then again, nothing is," he said softly. Larxene had to struggle for breath.

_"He's just teasing you,"_ she reassured herself, "_just playing around again. The two of you will just laugh in a moment, and that'll be it. That's the way it always is. That's the way it has to be."_

"I've never seen anything in quite the same shade of blue as your eyes," he murmured, and, much to Larxene's confusion, he was moving closer as he spoke.

It was crazy. Utter madness. He knew this, his conscience screamed the fact at him and yet he couldn't stop. Because really, he didn't hate her at all. He wondered, really, if he ever had. And ever since the time he'd first met her, he'd dreamt about kissing her. And he knew had to have the real thing at least one time, even if it wrecked everything.

She was frozen to the spot, watching Axel with a mixture of breathlessness and shock. Her eyelids fell closed as she waited for something she wasn't sure she wanted. And yet, at the same time, it was something she wasn't sure she didn't want. He was so close she could feel his breath on her face…

And her cellphone rang.

Her eyes snapped open and she resisted the urge to mutter a swear word under her breath. She was fairly certain she heard a faint groan from Axel.

"I- I'd better get that," she said quietly, and much to her disgust, her voice was shaky. Axel nodded.

"It's better this way, anyway…"

She answered the call and turned her back on Axel as she spoke into her phone. Axel sat back and ran his hand through his hair.

On the other end, a recorded message told Larxene that her number had come up as a winner in their prize draw and if she called this number which cost a fortune per minute she would win a fabulous prize. (Haha God, I HATE those things! There have been times before we got heavenly caller I.D. where I've run out of the shower to answer the phone, and it's been one of those STUPID recorded messages. Sometimes I even feel the need to yell down the phone at them before hanging up lol. And then I get weird looks from my family haha.)

Larxene hung up and sighed. Interrupted for the sake of something stupid like that. But perhaps it was an omen. A warning. A "don't let yourself go there" type of thing. She spun round on her heel to face him.

"I think we should go to bed," she said softly, not looking him in the eye.

"You can borrow something of mine to sleep in," he said as he got up off the floor. He rummaged through his suitcase and gave her an oversized T-shirt of his. Really, the last thing she wanted to do was sleep in something of his, but she had no choice, so she thanked him and headed to the bathroom to change. The shirt smelled very definitely of Axel - a mixture of his cologne and his own natural scent, something like cinnamon (I don't know why, but a lot of people write about Axel smelling like cinnamon. I guess it makes sense, so I decided to include it hehe). When she came back out, Axel was already lying in bed. Larxene lay on her side of the bed and closed her eyes. Axel couldn't explain why he liked seeing her wear something of his, but he did. And it was surprising how fast he managed to fall asleep. He supposed it was because she was lying beside him. And in his opinion, that was where she belonged.

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Haha it's so amazing to me how I have to work so hard at real romance scenes, but flirting and the above are much easier for me. Ah, just one of those mysteries. Get psyched for next chapter, cuz something is going to happen! 8D 


	14. Kiss the Girl

**Chapter 14: Kiss the Girl**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: Hehe I've assumed this title for myself! 8D Sorry I took so long with this chapter, but with my brother and sister home for Thanksgiving, I had little to no time for working on this. But I managed in the end. Yay me. (pats self on back) Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

It was strange how Axel actually looked quite angelic when he slept, Larxene thought. His face was cutely flushed, and his usually-messy hair was even messier as it splayed out against the pure white pillow. 

"It's a pity you're not nearly so sweet when you're awake," she said to herself as she got up and walked around the room, rubbing her arms frantically to try to generate some heat.

"I'm glad you're warm, but I'm freezing!" Larxene said to Axel. He was sleeping so deeply that he didn't even stir. She stopped for a second.

"I wonder if I could…" she said to herself as she looked over at him. A part of her knew she shouldn't, but she could freeze to death before the morning at this rate!

"Besides," she thought, almost trying to talk herself into it, "_I can just get up really early tomorrow, before he wakes up. He won't even know about it."_

Gingerly, she lifted up the edge of the duvet and quickly slid into bed before she could change her mind. She sighed contentedly as she snuggled down into the pillows and pulled the duvet up around her neck. Axel's body heat had warmed the bed up well, and she was finally able to fall asleep in comfort.

* * *

Of course, Larxene should have known that her plan wouldn't work. 

Axel woke up the next morning and when he opened his eyes, his vision was filled with Larxene's face. She was lying right beside him, a picture of sleeping innocence. At first he was confused as to how she had managed to get there, but he decided it didn't matter. He noticed he had thrown a leg protectively over her in his sleep, but decided to pretend that he hadn't noticed it and went back to sleep as sunlight streamed through the white curtains into the room.

* * *

Larxene woke a few hours later and found Axel a little too close to her for comfort. She shifted slightly and blushed when she realised one of his legs was over her side.

"Well, you have only yourself to blame," she thought, but she was pleased with herself for waking up before he noticed it. She got out of bed and stretched. Axel frowned in his sleep when she moved and woke up, blinking sleepily. 

"Good morning, Axel," Larxene said cheerfully.

"Sleep well?" she asked.

"Yes," Axel answered truthfully. Larxene smiled, said she was glad, and checked the time on her watch, which she had left on the beside cabinet last night. She gasped when she saw what time it was.

"HOE!" she cried, "Ten-thirty! I'm so LATE!"

She stumbled around the room, grabbing articles of clothing from her suitcase.

"I'll call that cab guy!" Axel said helpfully as he picked up his cellphone.

"Thanks!" Larxene cried gratefully as she dashed into the bathroom.

* * *

After the shortest shower she had ever taken, Larxene rushed out of the bathroom, fully dressed. Her shoulder-length hair was damp, but there was no time to blow-dry it. 

"Oh no!" she groaned. "Breakfast!"

"I asked the guy to pick up something for you on the way," Axel said. Larxene hugged him briefly, causing Axel to blush.

"Okay, you stay in bed and get plenty of rest. Get room-service to send you up soup and things," Larxene instructed as she grabbed her coat.

"Okay, okay! Sora will pick you up outside! Now go!" Axel exclaimed as he practically shoved her out the door.

* * *

"Why are you running so late today?" Sora asked as Larxene gratefully gulped down the coffee and ate the breakfast bar Sora had given her. They were currently driving to the conference center. 

"Did something happen with Axel?" Sora asked mischievously, grinning wickedly when Larxene choked on her breakfast.

"God no!" Larxene yelped "I just slept in!"

"Where _is _Axel this morning, anyway?" Sora asked.

"He's sick, so he couldn't come," Larxene explained.

* * *

Larxene discovered when she arrived at the center that she had completely missed her first meeting. Her next one wasn't for another half hour, so she settled herself at a table in the conference center's café to wait.

* * *

It was a bored and relieved Larxene who called Sora hours later. It was nine P.M., and she was finally done for the day. She had actually worked hard to listen to what was going on in the meetings, as Axel wasn't there to do it for her. Everything that had been said had seemed pretty reasonable to her, so there was no need to start an argument or anything.

* * *

When Larxene came into the hotel room, Axel was fast asleep. Larxene smiled to herself at the sight of him, curled up under the duvet. There were a number of soggy tissues in the bin beside him. Larxene supposed the cold had really set in and his nose had been running a lot. She kicked her shoes off and sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her sore feet. 

"Larx?" Axel mumbled in his sleep as he sat up.

"Good evening, Sleepyhead," Larxene greeted, smiling. "How do you feel?"

"Much better, thank you," he said, then gestured to the numerous empty bowls and cups beside him.

"I took your advice," he said, "plenty of soup and fluids." Larxene lay back against the pillows with a tired sigh.

"Hard day?" Axel asked her. Larxene snorted.

"The worst," she said, "I missed my first meeting, and everything just sort of went downhill from there. I really tried hard to listen, but I'm not nearly as good as you at understanding what they're talking about. I've only been in advertising for a while."

"I'm sure," Axel said, smiling, "that you did a great job. And we get to go home tomorrow morning." Larxene nodded, glad that he had pointed that out.

"I'm starving," she said suddenly, "I guess I'll just call room service and have them send something up."

At that moment Larxene's cellphone rang. Larxene sighed, hoping that it wasn't another recorded message.

"Hello?" she said wearily upon answering it.

"Hello, Larxene?" a man asked. Larxene was immediately more alert.

"Yes," she said, somewhat cautiously.

"It's Xemnas here," he said. Larxene laughed.

"Mr. Xemnas, hello! How are you?" she asked, sitting upright. Axel was looking at her, mouthing, 'Xemnas? What does _he _want?' Larxene shrugged in answer.

"Larxene, I'm glad I caught you. How has it gone so far?" Xemnas asked.

"Okay," Larxene answered, wondering where he was going with this.

"Good, good. Listen, there was a mistake with your flights. You're not going home until 2 P.M. tomorrow, okay? Not six A.M." he said clearly. Larxene nodded, feeling relieved it wasn't something worse.

"Sure. No problem," she said, and hung up.

"Our flight was booked wrongly," Larxene explained to Axel, "we're not going home until two P.M. tomorrow, not six A.M. as we had thought." Axel looked relieved at the nature of this news too.

"So we don't need to have an early night tonight, after all? How about we go out to dinner properly, then, like I promised? I feel totally better now, so how about it?" Axel suggested. Larxene's eyes lit up.

"That would be lovely," Larxene said, smiling.

* * *

An hour later both Axel and Larxene were showered and dressed up, ready to go. Larxene was wearing a simple white dress with heels that had ankle-ties, her hair slightly curled, and Axel was dressed in a simple but classy dark suit. 

Sora remarked on their fancy appearance as they got into the back of the cab.

"Aren't we looking nice?" he teased.

"Where are you two going?"

"Out to dinner," Larxene explained, smiling, "We're celebrating because we go home tomorrow."

"Oh," he said, "I guess I won't get to drive you guys around anymore. You were beginning to grow on me."

"We'll have you drive us to the airport tomorrow, okay?"

"Right," he said with a nod as they climbed out.

* * *

Axel and Larxene were seated a table in a nice but not overly fancy restaurant. Axel noticed how Larxene seemed unusually timid. 

"Something wrong?" he asked gently. She immediately shot her head up.

"Oh no no no. Uh, it's just..."

_"It's just that with the restaurant and the fancy clothes...It seems like were on a date."_

"Just...?" he asked after she remained silent for a few moments.

"Oh," she said, embarrassed that she had drifted off. She remained silent again, till he gave her a questioning look.

"It's nothing," she reassured as the waiter approached the table. Larxene looked up at the man and gave him her order. While she was preoccupied, he took the opportunity to steal a glance at her. He felt something strange as he took in her features.

**There you see her  
Sitting there across the way  
She don't got alot to say  
But there's something about her  
And you don't know why  
But you're dying to try  
You wanna kiss girl.**

"Axel?" she said, looking at him with a disapproving look. He snapped as he realized that he had been ignoring the waiter, AND staring at her.

"Uh, right."

He gave his order, watching her out of the corner of his eye. She looked so...

"Beautiful..." he whispered.

"Sorry?" the waiter said curiously.

"Nothing."

**Yes, you want her  
Look at her, you know you do  
It's possible she wants you too  
There's one way to ask her  
It don't take a word, not a single word  
Go on and kiss the girl (kiss the girl)**

Once the waiter walked away (clearly estranged to Larxene and Axel), Axel turned back to Larxene.

"Larxene?" he asked quietly.

"Yes?" she answered back, locking eyes with him.

"I...I just wanted to say that I'm glad that we're finally getting along...and that you're my partner...at work."

She smiled and drifted her hand across the table to touch his.

"Thanks."

**Shalalalala  
My oh my  
Looks like the boy's too shy  
Ain't gonna kiss the girl  
Shalalalala  
Ain't that sad  
It's such a shame  
Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl  
Go on and kiss the girl (kiss the girl)**

Axel shifted his gaze to the side, and Larxene quietly withdrew her hand. Before anyone had a chance to speak, the food had arrived, and the two ate in near silence, apart from some chit-chat.

**Shalalalala  
Don't be scared  
You better be prepared  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Shalalalala  
Don't stop now  
Don't try to hide it how  
You wanna kiss the girl  
Go on and kiss the girl  
(kiss the girl)  
(oh, ohnoo..)  
(kiss the girl, kiss the girl)  
Lalalala, Lalalala  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Lalalala, Lalalala  
Go on and kiss the girl**

After paying for the meal, they both walked out into the cool, brisk evening. Larxene zipped her jacket up and took a deep breath of the crisp air. Axel stole a glance a her, and his mind was immediately gripped with the question:

_"What if she falls in love with someone else? Would I be able to handle it?"_

**Shalalalala  
My oh myyyyy  
Looks like the boy's too shy  
Ain't gonna kiss the girl  
Shalalalala  
Ain't that sad  
It's such a shame  
Too bad, you're gonna miss the girl**

She smiled at him, then turned to walk away. In an instant, Axel made up his mind. He quickly grabbed her hand, firmly but gently. She turned questioningly to ask him what he was doing, but was suddenly met by the feeling of his lips against hers.

**Lalalala, Lalalala  
(Go on and kiss the girl)  
Go on and kiss that girl!  
Lalalala, Lalalala  
(Go on and kiss the girl)  
Go on and kiss the girl  
Kiss the girl  
(Kiss the girl)  
Go on and kiss the girl**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud: **Cliffie! Yes, Axel takes a daring move! How will Larxene take it? Ah, you'll have to wait and see! Leave lots of reviews my faithful subjects- err, readers! 8D 


	15. Mixed Reactions

**Chapter 15: Mixed Reactions**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: I'm SO SO SO sorry for taking this long to update. Though, most people on fanfiction take much longer...anyway, my deepest apologies. With college applications and visits, and school work, and my mom being an annoying nag, I haven't had much time to work on this. I will try harder in the future. Thanks for all your reviews last chap. Well, here we are! 8D

* * *

She smiled at him, then turned to walk away. In an instant, Axel made up his mind. He quickly grabbed her hand, firmly but gently. She turned questioningly to ask him what he was doing, but was suddenly met by the feeling of his lips against hers. 

Larxene's eyes widened, but she slowly put her arms on his back and pressed against him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and began to deepen the kiss. She suddenly froze, and pulled away, leaving Axel dumbfounded.

"I- We should head back," she managed to say. Without looking to see if Axel was following, she took off briskly toward Sora, who was waiting in the cab. Axel sighed and walked after her.

* * *

"Thanks, Sora. See you in the morning." 

Larxene waved goodbye and walked into the hotel. Axel stayed a few paces behind her. She had been completely silent since the restaurant, and he thought he'd best stay at a distance. That sounded fine, until he realized that they were still sharing the same room.

_"Maybe I should have waited until we got back home, and I wouldn't have to sleep with her,"_ he thought, and then blushed.

_"Ugh, dirty mind."_

Larxene walked into the room and immediately went into the bathroom. Axel heard the sound of the lock and sighed. He sat down on the bed, and pondered the bathroom door.

"I wonder if she's planning to sleep in there...Man, how awkward is this. I guess this is my fault for kissing her. I should be the one to let her have the room."

His mind made up, he walked to the bathroom and said softly, "Larxene, I'm going to go watch TV in the lounge."

Hearing no reply, he shrugged and left the room.

* * *

Larxene heard the click of the door, but waited a good five minutes before leaving the bathroom. Seeing no sign of Axel, she left the sanctuary of the bathroom and flopped on her bed. With a sigh she ran her fingers through her hair. 

_"How could I be so stupid! Kissing Axel! What was I thinking?!"_

* * *

Axel figured going back to the room would just be awkward for both of them, especially considering that they shared a bed. He sank into his chair and hit his face with his hand. 

_"How could I be so stupid! This could ruin everything!"_

* * *

Larxene awoke with a start sometime later. Her pillow felt wet, since she'd fallen asleep before drying her hair. She looked over and noticed that Axel hadn't come back. 

_"Where is he?"_

She remembered him mentioning the lounge, so she hastily dryed her hair, then took off for the lounge.

* * *

"Hey, wake up."

Larxene gave Axel another nudge, and this time his eyes fluttered open.

"What's going on?"

Larxene couldn't help but smile. "You fell asleep in the lounge. Must have been tired."

"I guess..." he said, not wanting to reveal that he had decided to sleep there so as to make her feel less akward.

"Well, come on. You'd better come up to bed."

Larxene smiled and helped pull him out of the chair. Axel noted hopefully that she didn't seem shy of him anymore. When they got back to the room, Axel changed into his pajamas and slipped into bed.

"Tomorrow we're going back. I was beginning to miss our comfy office setup," Larxene sadi whistfully. Axel grinned.

"And I was beginning to miss teasing you." Larxene playfully shoved him.

"Good night," she said, finishing with a yawn. She snuggled into the covers and rested her head on Axel's shoulder. Axel grinned and rubbed his head against hers.

"Night."

* * *

**Nightshroud:** I know this wasn't very exciting, but I was trying to wrap things up for their trip. I have the later chapters planned though, with plenty of drama! So sorry for taking so long with this update. I'm trying to wrap up several fics, so I haven't had much time to work on this. I will try harder in the future, honestly. So, review and show the love! 8D 


	16. Break My Heart

**Chapter 16: Break My Heart**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: I'm SO SO SO sorry for taking this long to update. I've been so preoccupied with other things that I haven't had a chance to work on this. I promise to get chapters out much more quickly. Anyway, here we go!

* * *

The trip back was fairly uneventful. Larxene was just happy to be going back home. She found she actually missed the daily routine of getting up in the morning, going to her nice office, and warring with Axel. She glanced over at him and wondered if the trip would change anything between them. They did kiss after all...

* * *

"You did not!" said Marluxia, not realizing in his shock that he was pouring coffee all over the table. 

"Marluxia!" she said, motiong to the coffee pot. He realized his mistake and moved it over the cup.

"So you really did kiss?" he pressed again. She sighed and took the mug from him.

"Yes..."

He suddenly got that smug look and crossed his arms.

"I knew you would."

"What?" she asked, looking up accusingly.

"Fall in love with him."

Larxene looked up shocked. "I never said I was in love with him."

"I can tell you are," he countered. She finally let that forbidden question slip into her mind.

"Am I in love with Axel?"

"Look I need to get some rest before work. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I might be out later, just so you know. I met this girl at the flower shop, and we're going out for lunch."

"Right, see ya."

Larxene walked up the stairs and fell on her bed. She didn't even feel like unpacking. Especially now that she realized the answer to her question.

"I'm in love with Axel..."

* * *

The question was...was Axel in love with her? Sure, he kissed her, but did that mean he loved her? She thought maybe she'd find out at work. 

"Good morning, Axel," she said as she entered the office. Axel gave her a nod.

"Heh, not even a day off for us, huh? Just like Mansex."

"Shh!" she said, trying not to laugh. "Anyway, did you tell Mr. Xemnas about our trip?"

"Yeah, I made a full report. So...how are you doing? Uh, since we got back?"

"Fine," she said, finding it hard to look at him without thinking about the kiss...

He got up and walked over to her, gently placing his hands on her side.

"Hey, if you're tired, I can cover for you."

"No, that's fine," she said, trying not to blush. He leaned his head forward, there faces mere inches apart.

"You look beautiful, by the way."

He smiled, seeing her astonished look, and moved his lips toward hers. They were about to touch, when Larxene suddenly moved away.

"Look, we have a lot of stuff to do, so we'd better finish our work before Xemnas gets on our cases."

As she walked away, she missed the look of disappointment on Axel's face.

"Right..." he said with a sigh before going back to his desk.

* * *

After sleeping on it, Larxene decided that maybe she should tell Axel how she felt. Maybe it wouldn't work out, but she wouldn't know unless she tried. She came into work late that day (since she had a doctor's appointment) and headed toward her and Axel's office to tell him the truth. 

"Hey, Larxene!"

Larxene stopped walking and turned to see Demyx run up to her.

"Hey, we were having lunch and we wanted to know if you'd come with us."

"Us?"

"Well me, Zexion, Lexaeus, and Vexen."

"Um, sure. What about Axel? I thought you guys were friends too."

"Umm, we are. But he...he sort of had other plans."

"Other plans?"

"Something like that."

Larxene looked suspiciously at Demyx. Something weird was going on.

"Sure," she said reluctantly. Demyx grinned and pulled her toward the exit, barely giving her enough tiem to grab her coat.

* * *

Larxene couldn't believe she gave up time with Axel for this. Sure, he was an egotistical, chauvinistic slug, but he was also handsome, charming, and entertaining. She didn't know how those two personalitites could coinicide in him, but she didn't really care. Axel was what she wanted. And here she was. 

Well, Demyx was pretty laid-back. Larxene thought he was a pretty cool guy, even if he was a little annoying. Zexion was down-to-earth and intelligent, and seemed to be the leader of the group. Lexaeus was fairly silent, only interjecting every once in a while. He and Zexion seemed to be good friends.

And then there was Vexen. How these guys amanged to tolerate such a bitchy old fossil such as this guy was beyond her. He seemed to disagree with everything anyone else said, and was constantly complaining about younger people like Axel and herself, like she wasn't even there, got better positions over senior members like Zexion, Lexaeus, and himself. Larxene was about to snap at him when she glanced at a couple walking down the street. She was about to turn her atention elsewhere when she recognized them. At least one of them...

_"Axel!"_

Axel was walking down the street arm-in-arm with some woman Larxene had never seen. She was dressed in designer clothes and had gleaming jewelry Larxene wished she could afford. She tossed her long black hair to the side as Axel said something, and the two laughed and kept walking. She suddenly stopped and pulled him forward into a kiss, and Larxene hoped he would push her away, but he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into his body. Larxene gripped the table and felt herself burn with jealousy.

"Larxene, are you okay?" asked Demyx, looking concerened. She snapped out of her glare and looked at him, for the first time realizing that she was crying.

"It's nothing. I have to go."

She got up and started to walk out like nothing was wrong, when she heard Vexen say from behind her:

"Hah, so she saw Axel for the no-good trash he is. Pathetic! And now she's crying like a little girl."

Larxene wanted to turn and shout a retort aat him, but before she could she realized she was running toward her house.

_"Axel, how could you..?"_

She let herself in and ran up the stairs, passing by Marluxia without so much as a word.

"Larxene?"

He ran up the stairs after her before getting the door slammed in his face.

"Larxene, what's wrong?" he asked.

"Go away!" she called. He sighed and opened the door. She was sitting on her bed, tyring to wipe her running makeup off. Marluxia sat doiwn next to her.

"Hey," he said, putting an arm around her, "tell me what's wrong."

"Axel," she said brokenly, "I saw with some other woman today."

"So? That doesn't mean-"

"No. He-he kissed her. Why? I thought he loved me."

Marluxia held her close as she continued to cry.

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Oh so sad! Don't immediately hate Axel though. You'll see his side of it soon enough. Anyway, review and show the love! 8D 


	17. It All Goes Down at the Office

**Chapter 17: It All Goes Down at the Office**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: Hello my faithful reviewers! Thank you all for reading! I thought I'd show my gratitude with a quick update! 8D As sad as it is to say, no it's not for a movie, or his cousin (which would be nasty, since they were making out...), but you'll see what's up in this chapter. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

Larxene awoke early the next morning. She hadn't slept well, but that needed no further explanation. After quickly brushing her hair back, she went down for breakfast. Normally Marluxia would already be there, cheerfullyg going about. He was quite the mroning person, as Larxene was, before she began working with Axel... But today, he was missing. Larxene picked up a note on the table. 

Larxene,

Had to take care of some business. See you later.

Marluxia.

Larxene frowned. That wasn't Marluxia's style at all. It was hastily written, not all like Marluxia's careful meticulous style, though it was indeed his handwriting. It also lacked that personal touch he added to every note. Shrugging, she grabbed a bagel and decided to get an early start.

* * *

Larxene sighed and brushed away her "antennae" as she stepped out of the elevator. She reluctantly headed toward her - and Axel's - office, when she noticed that Demyx and Zexion were standing there, talking about something and looking toward her office. 

"Hey, guys."

Both whirled about, with startled expressions on their faces.

"Oh, Larxene. Uh...you're here...early..." Demyx stuttered.

"Uh, yeah...I came in early to get some work done. So...what were you guys doing?"

"Doing?" said Demyx in a would-be innocent tone.

"Yes, Demyx. What were you doing?"

"Oh...well...err...Zexion was telling me this great joke! Uh, how did it go, Zex?"

Zexion raised an eyebrow, then sighed and thought for a moment.

"Why couldn't the little boy get into the pirate movie?"

"..."

"It was rated 'Arrgh!'"

Larxene stared blankly at him, while Demyx sighed.

"Couldn't you have come up with a better one than that?"

"She's obviously heard it before," said Zexion defensively.

"Hah, right, it-"

"Hey, where'd Larxene go?" asked Zexion, interrupting him. They turned, and their eyes widened as they saw Larxene walk up to her office.

"Uh oh..."

* * *

Larxene stopped in front of her office door. 

"The door's never usually closed..." she thought. She could hear voices coming from inside, then heard a crash. She gripped the doorknob and swung open the door.

Marluxia punched Axel in the cheek, throwing him back into the wall. He went toswing again, but Axel caught his arm, twisted it, then gave him a sharp uppercut. Marluxia stumbled back, then went to swing again before Larxene stepped in between them.

"What is going on?!"

Both men stared at each other, glaring and silently panting.

"Well?!"

Marluxia gave on last glare, then turned and headed for the door. His way, however, was blocked by the last person anyone wanetd to see.

"Mr. Xemnas!" said Larxene, trying to keep her cool. Xemnas looked very mad. Completely pissed off was more like it. Most employers would be, if they came in to one of their employees with a disheveled suit and bruised cheek fighting with a stranger with a bleeding mouth and swollen lip. Xemnas gripped his fists tightly, turning white at the knuckles. His gaze, however, was not directed at Larxene, but at Marluxia.

"I thought I said I never wanted to see you in this building again," Xemnas said, his voice boiling with rage,

"Don't worry, I never want to have to enter this hellhole again."

Marluxia brushed past Xemnas, whose gaze remained fixed ahead until he heard the elevator door close.

"Axel, what was he doing here?" Xemnas pressed. Axel finished adjusting his clothes, then gave a shrug.

"He just came in here, and started swinging at me. I don't know what his problem was."

Larxene knew that he was lying, since she heard voices before the fighting began. Axel must have had his own reasons for lying, probably because he didn't want this whole affair getting out, or that it was just none of his damn business.

"I wouldn't put something like that past him. I should press charges against him for assaulting one of my employees."

"I don't think there's any need, sir. I think I gave him a good enough lesson."

_"Jackass, I'm pretty sure that was a draw,"_ Larxene thought acidly.

"Well, go wash up and get back to what you were doing."

"Right."

Xemnas shut the door, and Axel silently went over to his desk.

"So are you going to tell me what happened?" Larxene asked coldly.

"You know...don't you?" Axel asked softly. Larxene laughed humorlessly.

"If you're referring to you making out with that skank yesterday, then yes."

Axel didn't respond, causing Larxene to dig her nails into the wood of her desk in frustration.

"How could you do that, Axel? Why would you flirt with me, kiss me, make me feel like you...cared about me, and then go and do that right under my nose."

"Larxene...I-"

"I love you, Axel. I came in that day to tell you that. And then I see you walking down the street with some woman, and kissing her? What kind of cold, heartless bastard does that?"

Larxene was shocked to find that tears had started falling from her eyes, gently dripping on the desk in front of her.

"Do you understand how it feels to realize that you're in love with someone, and think that may love you back, only to find that they were with someone behind your back?"

"No, I don't. But I know what it's like to fall in love with someone, and feel the hopelessness that they'll never return your feelings."

"What are you-"

"How can you think I didn't love you? But when I tried - I kissed you at the convention, and you could barely look at me; then I tried to kiss you the other day, and you just walked away - you just shot me down. I loved you, Larxene, but...I couldn't keep going after someone that I never thought would return my feelings. So...I moved on..."

Larxene wiped her tears. "I see," she said bitterly. She got up and gathered her things together before walking out of the office. She stopped in front of the receptionist, who titled her head to the side.

"Larxene, are you okay?"

"Yeah, Namine. If Mr. Xemnas asks, I decided to take a vacation day."

Larxene walked out of the office and headed home, trying to hold herself together.

* * *

Axel sighed as Larxene left the room. His cellphone vibrated, and he sighed again as he saw the number.

"Hey, Cass. Yeah, listen I'm not feeling well. Do you think we could try later this week? Thanks, babe. Bye."

Axel didn't like lying to his new girlfriend, but his confrontation with Larxene made doing anything later hardly an option.

* * *

"Just put some ice on it," said Larxene, handing Marluxia a cold pack. Marluxia smiled and took it from her.

"Sorry I made such a scene," he said with a sigh. Larxene shook her head.

"That's okay. It's nice that someone cares enough for me to stand up for me."

She sat down at the table and rested her head in her hands.

"So tell me, how do you and Xemnas know each other?"

Marluxia frowned and looked reluctant to divulge.

"I used to work under him."

"What?!"

"He put me as regional manager in one of the departments around here. One of the more senior members was jealous of my position, so he went to Xemnas and planted enough evidence to get me kicked out on flase charges."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"No big deal."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Larxene pressed. Marluxia shrugged.

"It's jst enever came up."

Larxene looked away. "I talked to Axel. Apparently, he did it because he thought I didn't like him back. I guess I did seem reluctant, but that was because I thought he would break my heart. Looks like I was right."

Marluxia looked sympathetic, then suddenly got a mischievous grin on his face.

"You know what helps the pain go away?"

"What?"

He pulled out some paper and a pack of markers and set them on the table.

"Markers?"

"Let's make some art."

* * *

**Nightshroud:** You all probably hate Axel. Don't hate him! You have to admit, she did send some negative signals. Of course, his actions are exactly justifiable. But anyway, you're probably wondering about the marker thing. Trust me, that's a huge part of the next chapter. Hehe, you'll have to see why! And didn't I say Marluxia would be a part of the drama? Well anway, leave a review and some love for the hard-working author slaving over a hot keyboard! ; 


	18. Fired

**Chapter 18: Fired**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: Well I'm glad you're all loving the story! Well, maybe this chapter will do a full 180 to your thoughts. Hehe, enjoy!

* * *

Larxene woke up the next morning, feeling better at having released her pent-up emotions on paper. She changed, then went downstairs for breakfast. Marluxia was already there, sipping on coffee. 

"Morning," he said cheerfully, motioning to her plate. He had already set her coffee and some croissants at her usual place at the table. She pushed aside some of the pictures they had made the previous night, and glanced at them with amusement. They each had crudely drawn pictures with obnoxious writing all over them, like "Xemnas is a child molestor" or "Mansex is a stupid old bitch" or "Axel is an effing prick."

She sighed with contentment and took a sip of her coffee. She didn't know where Marluxia came up with ideas like this, but it certainly was a destresser. Still, she'd have to face Axel again today...

After finishing her food, she glanced up at the clock.

"Oh shoot! I'm running late!"

She glanced around for her papers that she had to give to Xemnas today. She spied them amidst their various drawings and snatched them up.

"I'd better get going," she said, heading for the door.

"I'll see you later tonight then, since I have to go sumbit my latest design."

"Right, see you then."

* * *

Larxene sighed and exited the elevator. She saw Demyx at the copier, and waved to him. 

"Hey, Larxene! You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Listen, thanks for being so nice to me. I really appreciate it."

She leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek, causing a faint blush to appear on his face. At that moment, Axel was leaving his office, when he saw Larxene giving Demyx a kiss. He could feel his blood heating up, and heard the distinct sound of the papers in his hand crunching together. He saw Larxene turn toward their office, and he quickly walked down the hallway away from it.

* * *

Axel was expecting Larxene to either be at his throat, or completely ignoring him, but what he didn't expect was for her to act like nothing happened. She was unusually polite, like a stranger you didn't want to offend. 

"Excuse me, Mr. Axel, would you mind passing the stapler when you're done with it?" she said distantly.

"Yeah, sure."

Mr. Xemnas strolled into the room, and stopped at Axel's desk.

"Axel, Larxene, I'm going to be out of the office for a while. Would one of you post these up for me?"

"Of course, sir," Axel replied. Xemnas left them on his desk, then left.

"I guess I'd better go do that," Axel said, reaching for them.

"No that's fine. I'll do it, since you're busy," Larxene said, snatching the papers off his desk. She took them over to hers, where she set them next tothe papers she brought from home.

"So, are you and Demyx seeing each other?" Axel ventured. Larxene stiffened.

"Why do you care?"

"Well when you're kissing him in the middle of the office-"

"It was a kiss on the cheek, not like what you and your girlfriend were doing in the middle of the city. Anyway, it's none of your business."

Larxene snatched the papers nearest to her and stormed out of the room.

* * *

_"Some nerve!"_ she thought as she sbsent-mindedly posted the papers in her hand. Once she had finished, she angrily stalked back to the room. 

_"I shouldn't have even responded. Remember, I don't know him any more than a stranger. Distant politeness, that's what we're aiming for."_

"Very sorry, Mr. Axel, for that little spat before. Let's try to keep our workspace as stress-free as possible."

She took her seat as Axel sighed.

"Right."

* * *

A few hours later, Larxene pushed her chair back and stretched. She had been working non-stop on a project, and she finally found that she needed a drink before she dropped from dehydration. She walked to the door, Axel's eyes following her before she stopped dead in her tracks. 

"What's going on?" she said out loud. In a moment, Axel was next to her. They were both looking out down the hallway to where all the floor's employee were staring up at the bulletin area. Larxene, puzzled at what the big commotion was about, walked over to see for herself. As soon as her eyes glanced up at it, she froze in horror.

Xemnas is a child molestor.

Mansex is a stupid old btch

_"I must have put those up instead of the bulletins!"_ she thought with dread. She was about to snatch them down when Xemnas came out of the elevator and looked up. His tanned face reddened, and his eyes narrowed.

"That's where Axel or Larxene was supposed to post my bulletin..."

"Axel, Larxene, come with me. Zexion, get those things down immediately."

"Yes, sir," all three answered.

* * *

"All right," said Xemnas, once they were seated in his office, "I want to know who put those up there." 

Larxene was fired. She knew it. As soon as she confessed, she was as good as gone.

"It's not like there's any satisfaction in working here anymore..."

_"Mr. Xemnas..."_

"Don't, Larxene."

Larxene looked up confused at Axel.

"I can admit my own actions. Mr. Xemnas, I put those up there."

Xemnas looked clearly surprised at Axel. He had thought it was Larxene, so this came as quite a shock.

"I see. Well, I don't think there's a place in this business for someone of your thinking, Axel. Pack your things. You're fired."

"Right."

Larxene felt frozen to the spot. It took all the effort in her body to turn and follow Axel back to their office.

* * *

"Why did you do that?" Larxene hissed once they were back in their office with the door shut. Axel didn't look at her, but gave a sad smile to himself, dwelling on some secret thought. 

"Did you think I would just forgive you, or come crawling back to you? Well?!"

Axel finally turned to her, but his gaze was off to the side.

"Do you remember when you first came here? You were so excited to start working this job. I'd never seen anyone with such enthusiasm for their work. I was annoyed with you. Before you came, I was unmotivated and lazy. Sure I was smart enough, and good when I actually did my work, but I had no satisfaction from doing anything. So when you came, I felt like I had to lower you a few notches. It worked, to a degree, but you were still determined to do your best. Of course, I couldn't let you outdo me, so I began to work harder, pay attention in meetings, make myself into a better employee. At firstt it was to make myself feel superiror, butthen it became more of a way to impress you. Then I actually began to find work enjoyable. Not so much because of the work but because of you. At first, I just got a kick out of making you mad and humiliating you. Then I got satisfaction out of clashing wits with you. But after a while, it just became seeing you, being with you, hearing you. And then I realized I'd fallen in love with you. I actually used to be excited just to get up in the morning to see you here. But now...there's nothing really left for me here. And maybe, if I'm gone, you can go back to being the way you were that first day, the model employee."

Larxene wanted to say something, do something, anything, but she felt completely paralyzed. He smiled, then grabbed his briefcase.

"Goodybe, Larxene."

He walked past her and headed for the elevator, never looking back. She wasn't sure how long it was before she managed to make it over to her desk and bury her face in her arms.

_"Axel...why does loving you have to be so painful...?"_

* * *

**Nightshroud:** Unexpected turn of events, no? Well, next chapter's going to be the last one, I think. So get excited! Yes, I'm cracking these chapter out now, aren't I? 8D Well, review and leave me some praise! 


	19. Miracle

**Chapter 19: Miracle**

* * *

**Lord Nightshroud**: The last chapter. So sad! Yes, I know you must all be devastated. Well I hope you enjoy the fruits of my labor in this final chapter. Enjoy! 8D

Song: **Miracle** by Cascada

* * *

Larxene sighed as she sat down at her desk. Work hadn't been the same since Axel was fired. 

_"For my mistake..."_ she thought sourly.

She couldn't help but feel at angry at Axel for what he had done, but at the same time, she wondered if it was her fault.

_"Maybe if I hadn't been so afraid to accept my feelings, this wouldn't have happened..."_

Then Larxene was startled by a sudden realization.

_"I don't care whose fault it is. I don't care about what he did. I just want Axel back."_

She stood and rushed to Xemnas's office. Regardless of what happened, this was something she needed to do.

* * *

"Mr. Xemnas!" said Larxene, bursting into his office. Xemnas looked up, clearly annoyed with the intrusion. 

"What is it, Larxene?"

"Axel didn't do it," she said, her eyes beginning to water.

"What are you-"

"Axel didn't put up those pictures of you! I did!"

Xemnas stared, wide-eyed. "Are you telling me that I fired a valuable employee to the company because of you?"

"Yes..." she said miserably, hanging her head. "Please, please just hire Axel back."

Xemnas sighed. "I would hire Axel back, but then you realize that you would have to be fired."

"Yes, I understand. And I'm very sorry, sir. You didn't deserve to have all those things said about you. I was upset with what had happened between you and Marluxia, and I just let myself get out of hand."

"Marluxia?" he said, raising and eyebrow.

"Yes, sir. He and I are close friends. He told me about what happened, and how Vexen framed him, and how you took Vexen's side and fired him."

"I see..." Xemnas said, folding his hands. "How about you find Axel, and we discuss this later."

"Yes, sir," Larxene said, sighing with relief. She rushed out of the room and toward the elevator. Once on the bottom floor, she rushed toward the door. She saw Roxas, Axel's best friend, walking past her.

"Roxas!" Larxene called. He turned and looked at her.

"Oh, hey...Larxene, right?"

"Yeah. Listen, do you know where Axel lives?"

"Yeah, 942 West Boulevard. You might be too late though."

"Why?" she asked, suddenly gripped by fear.

"Well, he said to keep this on the down-low, but he's packing up his apartment and moving. Apparently, he got a job offer pretty far away, and he's going to go there."

"Oh no!" Larxene said, rushing out the door, leaving a puzzled Roxas by the door.

* * *

Axel groaned as he hauled the last box inside his car. He sighed as he contemplated what he was doing. 

"It's for the best," he thought. He turned to walk back inside his house when he heard his name being called.

"Axel!"

He turned and saw Larxene running up the street toward him.

"Larxene?" he asked, clearly confused. She ran up to him and threw her arms around him, rubbing her face into his chest.

"Axel, please come back. I need you so much. I told Mr. Xemnas the truth, and he's going to offer you your job back. Even if you have a girlfriend, being around you is better than nothing. I can't keep going without you there!"

"Larxene, I-"

"What's going on?" said Axel's girlfriend, coming out of his house. She brushed her black hair back as she glared at Larxene.

"Why is she hanging off of you?" she demanded angrily.

"Cass, listen-"

"Back off, bitch," Larxene hissed "before I break you like the twig you are!"

Cassandra backed away, clearly startled, before she turned to Axel.

"Are you just going to let her talk to me that way?" she asked. Axel, still shocked by Larxene's outburst, gave a shrug. Cassandra angrily gripped her hands, digging her french tips into her palms. Larxene placed a hand on Axel's chin, turning his face towards hers, before pulling him into a kiss. Axel's arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer into him. Cassandra screamed in anger before stomping away.

"I love you, Axel," Larxene said after she pulled away from the kiss.

"I love you too, Larxene," he said, smiling before capturing her mouth in another kiss.

"So you'll come back?" she asked as they broke away from the second kiss.

"Of course," he answered, grinning broadly.

* * *

"I'm sorry we had a misunderstanding, Axel," said Xemnas, shaking his hand. "I'm glad you are again part of our company." 

"And I'm glad to back, sir," said Axel, flashing a smile.

"Still," said Xemnas, sitting back, "I think someone needs to be fired..."

Axel looked over at Larxene, then grinned.

"Well..."

* * *

Marluxia raised his eyebrow before chuckling. 

"So Xemnas fired Vexen?"

"Yep," said Larxene, taking a sip of her cocoa. "And Axel got his job back."

"So all's well with you, huh?" Marluxia asked. Larxene giggled.

"I guess you could say that."

"Well, for your sake," said Marluxia "I think I can make peace with Axel."

"Thanks," said Larxene, giving him a hug. "You're such a great friend."

"The best," he said with a smile.

* * *

"Well at least I won't have Marluxia hunting me down any time soon," said Axel, as he and Larxene sat on his bed, cuddled together. 

"Yeah," said Larxene with a giggle. "Why don't you come over for dinner sometime? Then you guys could get to know each other better."

"You know I can't say no to you," said Axel, gently kissing her neck. She smiled and ran her hand through his wild hair.

"Hmm, I know," she said. Axel wrapped an arm around her waist as he turned her and rested her on the bed. He pulled her into a passionate kiss, which she eagerly returned.

"You know I love you," she said, breaking away.

"Yes," he said, smiling down at her.

"But," she sighed "I have to go. We have work tomorrow, and I can't afford to be a zombie."

Axel gave a sad puppy face as she got up and walked to the door.

"No kiss goodbye?" she asked. He gave that jackal-like grin and walked over to her, snaking his arms around her and pulling her back to the bed.

"In the morning," he responded in a husky whisper, grinning as she pulled him into another passionate kiss.

**_Boy meets girl  
You were my dream,my world  
But i was blind  
You cheated on me from behind  
So on my own  
I feel so all alone  
Though I know it's true  
I'm still in love with you _**

I need a miracle  
I wanna be your girl  
Give me a chance to see  
That you are made for me  
I need a miracle  
Please let me be your girl  
One day you'll see it can happen to me  
I need a miracle  
I wanna be your girl  
Give me a chance to see  
That you are made for me  
I need a miracle  
Please let me be your girl  
One day you'll see it can happen to me  
It can happen to me

Day and night  
I'm always by your side  
Cause I know for sure  
My love is real, my feelings pure  
So take a try  
No need to ask me why  
Cause I know it's true  
I'm still in love with you

I need a miracle...  
I wanna be your girl  
Give me a chance to see  
That you are made for me  
I need a miracle  
Please let me be your girl  
One day you'll see it can happen to me  
I need a miracle  
I wanna be your girl  
Give me a chance to see  
That you are made for me  
I need a miracle  
Please let me be your girl  
One day you'll see it can happen to me  
It can happen to me

Miracle... Miracle

Miracle... Miracle

* * *

**Nightshroud:** (blush) Ooh what a naughty way to end it hehe. But I thought it was a sweet ending. I also thought the lyrics went really well with the story, so I added them there at the end. I'm so sad it's over! (tears roll down) So sad! I hope you all liked it! I'll miss all of you, my faithful reviewers. Leave some love for me! 8D 


End file.
